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Electronic gifts are very popular, and in recent years, retailers have been offering significant discounts on smartphones, e-readers, and other electronics labeled as pre-owned. Research I have co-led finds that these pre-owned options are becoming increasingly viable, thanks in part to laws and policies that encourage recycling and reuse of devices that might previously have been thrown away. Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy have dedicated pages on their websites for pre-owned devices. Manufacturers like Apple and Dell, as well as mobile service providers like AT&T and Verizon, offer their own options for customers to buy used items. Their sales rely on the availability of a large volume of used products, which are supplied by the emergence of an entire line of businesses that process used, discarded, or returned electronics. Those developments are some of the results of widespread innovations across the electronics industry that supply chain researcher Suresh Muthulingam and I have linked to Californias Electronic Waste Recycling Act, passed in 2003. Recycling innovation Originally intended to reduce the amount of electronic waste flowing into the states landfills, Californias law did far more, unleashing a wave of innovation, our analysis found. We analyzed the patent-filing activity of hundreds of electronics firms over a 17-year time span from 1996 to 2012. We found that the passage of Californias law not only prompted electronics manufacturers to engage in sustainability-focused innovation, but it also sparked a surge in general innovation around products, processes, and techniques. Faced with new regulations, electronics manufacturers and suppliers didnt just make small adjustments, such as tweaking their packaging to ensure compliance. They fundamentally rethought their design and manufacturing processes to create products that use recycled materials and that are easily recyclable themselves. For example, Samsungs Galaxy S25 smartphone is a new product that, when released in May 2025, was made of eight different recycled materials, including aluminum, neodymium, steel, plastics, and fiber. Combined with advanced recycling technologies and processes, these materials can be recovered and reused several times in new devices and products. For example, Apple invented the Daisy Robot, which disassembles old iPhones in a matter of seconds and recovers a variety of precious metals, including copper and gold. These materials, which would otherwise have to be mined from rock, are reused in Apples manufacturing process for new iPhones and iPads. How do consumers benefit? In the past two decades, 25 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have passed laws requiring electronics recycling and refurbishing, the process of restoring a pre-owned electronic device so that it can function like new. The establishment of industry guidelines and standards also means that all pre-owned devices are thoroughly tested for functionality and cosmetic appearance before resale. Companies deeper engagement with innovation appears to have created organizational momentum that carried over into other areas of product development. For example, in our study, we found that the passage of Californias law directly resulted in a flurry of patents related to semiconductor materials, data storage, and battery technology, among others. These scientific advances have made devices more durable, repairable, and recyclable. For the average consumer, the recycling laws and the resulting industry responses mean used electronics are available with similar reliability, warranties, and return policies as new devicesand at prices as much as 50% lower. Suvrat Dhanorkar is an associate professor of operations management at Georgia Institute of Technology. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Category:
E-Commerce
Organizations often describe change as a technical exercise: Adjust a workflow, update a reporting line, reorganize a process or two. On paper, it all looks relatively contained. But the lived experience of change rarely aligns with the tidy logic of a project plan. Recently, I worked with a team in the midst of what leadership kept referring to as a small restructuring. And technically, it was. The core work wasnt shifting, no ones job was threatened, and the strategy made sense. Yet the emotional climate thickened almost immediately. One manager became more reserved than usual, answering questions with careful brevity. Another grew unusually fixated on minor details. A third found herself more irritable, though she couldnt articulate why. Nothing dramaticjust a low hum of unease moving through a group of otherwise steady professionals. {"blockType":"mv-promo-block","data":{"imageDesktopUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/cupofambition.png","imageMobileUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/cupofambition-mobile.png","eyebrow":"","headline":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESubscribe to A Cup of Ambition\u003C\/strong\u003E","dek":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career \u003Cem\u003Eand\u003C\/em\u003E being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com\/\u0022\u003Eacupofambition.substack.com\u003C\/a\u003E.","subhed":"","description":"","ctaText":"SIGN UP","ctaUrl":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com\/","theme":{"bg":"#f5f5f5","text":"#000000","eyebrow":"#9aa2aa","subhed":"#ffffff","buttonBg":"#000000","buttonHoverBg":"#3b3f46","buttonText":"#ffffff"},"imageDesktopId":91454061,"imageMobileId":91454062,"shareable":false,"slug":""}} What struck me was how quickly this supposedly minor adjustment stirred up deeper questions for people. Thats the part of change we tend not to acknowledge. Even modest shifts can unsettle the psychological architecture we rely on to feel competent, grounded, and connected. The disruption isnt about the logistics of the change; its about the quiet, internal recalibration that follows. The Psychology Beneath Transition In both coaching and clinical work, clients often describe this experience in vague terms: I dont hate the change. Something just feels . . . off. That feeling isnt superficial. Its a signal that the change is brushing against something importantidentity, capability, belonging, autonomy, the sense of who we are in relation to the work and the people around us. Most reactions to change are not reactions to the actual change. They are reactions to what the change is interpreted to mean. A new workflow can raise doubts about whether ones skills remain relevant. A shift in reporting lines can evoke questions about trust or status. A more efficient structure may unexpectedly trigger fears of being left behind. Even when the change is welcome or long overdue, it can still destabilize the sense of continuity that makes daily work feel predictable. When these emotions arent acknowledged, they tend to surface indirectlyas tension, withdrawal, hypervigilance, or that familiar sense that the team is slightly out of sync without being sure why. A Leaders Turning Point I saw this play out with a director who couldnt quite understand why her team seemed anxious. Were not changing their jobs, she said. Why is this causing so much stress? She was looking at the content of the change rather than its psychological implications. So I asked her, If you were sitting in their chair what might this change symbolize? She thought for a long moment. Probably that Im losing control, she said quietly. Or that leadership thinks our judgment isnt strong enough. Once she recognized that meaning-makingnot mechanicswas driving the reaction, she changed her approach. Instead of doubling down on explanations of the strategy, she met individually with team members to ask how the transition was landing for them. These werent troubleshooting conversations; they were opportunities for people to articulate the emotional subtext of the change. Over the next two weeks, the atmosphere settled. People began to reengage. The same plan, once met with tension, now felt workable. The difference wasnt procedural. It was psychological. What Effective Leaders Actually Do Leaders often assume that smooth change management depends on clear plans and well-communicated timelines. Those matter, of course, but theyre not what ultimately determines whether people adapt. The leaders who navigate transition well understand that the emotional environment carries more weight than any formal framework. 1. They acknowledge the wobble Effective leaders dont pretend everyone is fine, nor do they treat every raised eyebrow as a crisis. They simply name whats happening in a way that feels matter-of-fact and compassionate: This kind of shift can throw people a bit. If youre feeling unsettled, youre not alone. The acknowledgment isnt performative; its grounding. It signals that disorientation is expectednot a personal failing or a sign that someone is resistant. When the leader names the wobble, the team doesnt have to expend additional energy hiding it. 2. They offer predictable touchpoints In times of transition, people instinctively look for something steady to hold onto. Leaders who understand this create simple, reliable anchors: a weekly check-in that doesnt get rescheduled, updates that arrive when theyre promised, a shared understanding of what will happen nexteven if what happens next is simply another conversation. Predictability doesn’t remove uncertainty, but it gives people a rhythm they can orient themselves around. It restores a sense of temporalityI know where we are, and I know when Ill hear something againwhich has a surprising regulating effect on the nervous system. 3. They reinforce continuity One of the most destabilizing parts of change is the fear that everything is up for grabs. Leaders who navigate change well remind people of what isnt shifting: the teams shared values, their collective purpose, the norms that shape how they work together, the relationships that predate the change. This isnt about offering false reassurance; its about locating the throughline. People need to know what they can still rely on so they can make sense of what is genuinely new. Continuity is the psychological counterweight to upheaval. 4. They return a sense of agency Change often creates a feeling of being acted upon, which is why even small choices can make a disproportionate difference. Leaders who understand this invite their team to help in decision-making in thoughtful, bounded ways: How should we sequence this work? What would make the new process feel more workable? Which aspects should wetest first? Its not about democratizing every call; its about restoring a sense of authorship. When people have a hand in shaping even a small part of the transition, the experience shifts from something happening to me to something Im participating in. 5. They make room for emotion without absorbing it Every change process brings emotion along for the ridefrustration, anticipation, grief, relief, confusion. Strong leaders dont pathologize those reactions, nor do they try to rescue people from them. They stay steady enough to listen without absorbing the emotional charge, and curious enough to understand what the emotion is pointing to. When they respond, they dont personalize the feelings or interpret them as pushback. They treat emotional reactions as datainformation about needs, fears, assumptions, or blind spots in the transition. That stance alone often lowers the temperature. Final Thought Change will always involve more than new workflows or org charts. It touches peoples sense of competence, identity, and place in the systemand thats where the real work of leadership happens. When managers pay attention to the emotional experience of changenot just the operational rolloutteams stay steadier and transitions land more cleanly. The leaders who succeed arent the ones with the perfect plan; theyre the ones who help people find their footing as the ground shifts. {"blockType":"mv-promo-block","data":{"imageDesktopUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/cupofambition.png","imageMobileUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/cupofambition-mobile.png","eyebrow":"","headline":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESubscribe to A Cup of Ambition\u003C\/strong\u003E","dek":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career \u003Cem\u003Eand\u003C\/em\u003E being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com\/\u0022\u003Eacupofambition.substack.com\u003C\/a\u003E.","subhed":"","description":"","ctaText":"SIGN UP","ctaUrl":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com\/","theme":{"bg":"#f5f5f5","text":"#000000","eyebrow":"#9aa2aa","subhed":"#ffffff","buttonBg":"#000000","buttonHoverBg":"#3b3f46","buttonText":"#ffffff"},"imageDesktopId":91454061,"imageMobileId":91454062,"shareable":false,"slug":""}}
Category:
E-Commerce
Happy Friday is ranked as one of the worst ways to begin an email and it is also one of the worst ways to end a piece of correspondence. While Happy Friday may seem like a friendly send-off to colleagues as they approach the weekend, it can easily offend for many reasons. Here are three excellent reasons never to use this expression. #1: IT CAN BE ANNOYING This expression may be used by people who are trying to lift the spirits of a colleague or make the recipient feel relieved that the workweek is coming to an end. But your colleague may be involved in working hard to complete an assignment, or be involved in a project that needs to get done. If so, your Happy Friday will be irritating. His or her reaction might be to feel this writer knows little about the pressures of work or completing assignments. According to a study a full 69% of employees say their mental health has worsened over the past year, so theres a good chance your colleague is not having a happy Friday. #2 IT CAN BE INSENSITIVE Beginning or ending your email with Happy Friday presumes that everyone is having a great day. But how do you know? I get emails from people I dont even know wishing me a Happy Friday. I was in the hospital when a few of these came, and I was not having a happy time. It is presumptuous to wish someone a happy day when she could be sick, tired, or overworked. In such cases, the words Happy Friday will only deepen the recipients misery. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, half of adults in the United States reported feelings of emotional disconnection, isolation from others (54%), left out (50%), or lacking companionship (50%). So wishing someone Happy Friday may elicit a deeper sense of loneliness, with the recipient feeling bad to be left out of the happiness circle. #3 IT IS A CLICHÉ If you are still tempted to use this expression, dont succumb to that temptation because it is a cliché that gives rise to other clichés. In some of the emails I get Happy Friday is followed by wishing you a lovely weekend and hoping you had a great week, and hoping you are well. Happy Friday also gives rise to Happy Monday, Happy Tuesday, or Happy [any day of the week, or any season]. I am much more likely to read and respond to emails that dont begin or end with this awful expression. Give it up! Instead, you might begin your correspondence by mentioning your last communication with that person. For example say thank you for following up with me or I loved your thoughts about . . . . And conclude with action, such as Ill look forward to hearing from you regarding next steps. In short, use your opening and closing to frame the subject matter of the correspondence.
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E-Commerce
AI coaches are everywhere. Theyre training marathoners and coaching leaders, and even billionaires Ray Dalio created an AI clone to serve as a digital mentor. In the past few months, searches for AI coaching have gone through the roof. And its easy to see why. AI coaches are available 24/7, cost less than a gym membership, and can recall every word youve ever said. Research even shows they can match human coaches in helping people reach their goals. Ironically, people often tell AI things theyd never tell another person. Studies show chatbots reduce our fear of judgment, making them surprisingly effective at uncovering whats really going on. And with 94% of employees saying theyd stay longer at a company that invests in their growth, AI coaching seems like the perfect solution, at least on paper. Im a coach and I use AI. But after a decade of coaching more than 4,000 people, heres what Ive learned: AI moves the needle 90%, sure. But for the life-changing 10%, you still need a human. Why AI coaching falls short Last month, a client told me she wanted to readjust her focus. If shed asked an AI coach, she wouldve gotten a list of productivity hacks. But when I heard her say it, I noticed something felt off. Did you notice how your energy dropped when you said that? I asked. That question opened the real issue. She wasnt struggling with priorities; she was afraid of leaving her comfort zone. Changing her focus was a protective strategy that wouldve kept her stuck. Thats the 10% AI cant identify. Science backs this up. Our brains sync through mirror neurons, a process called emotional contagion. Its how a coach can sense when your energy dips, even before you speak. Humans also co-regulate each others stress responses, a process thats essential for change. Thats why, in psychotherapy, the relationship itself predicts outcomes as much as any treatment method. The same holds true for coaching. Finally, clients often tell me they chose to work with me because of my story. Im the child of immigrants who became a Princeton-trained engineer before walking away from corporate life. Im also an introvert whod rather watch Netflix than network. That shared humanityseeing someone whos been where they arebuilds trust and makes them realize: If she can do it, maybe I can too. The smarter way forward: 3 ways to use hybrid coaching Still, Im not saying AI coaching doesnt work, because it does. But the smartest coaches and clients wont choose between humans and AI. Theyll use both. Heres how to combine them for the best results: 1. Be consistent Use an AI tool like ChatGPT to stay accountable every day. Prompts like Based on my reflections this week, what patterns or habits keep showing up? or Highlight one recurring theme in my journaling that might be holding me back help you track growth between sessions. 2. Dig deeper AI can help you surface patterns faster. One of my clients uses AI to journal every morning. By the time she shows up to our call, she has already identified her blocks, so we can focus on getting results faster. Try prompts like: How would an executive or business coach advise me on this? 3. Define actions After each session, use an AI transcription tool like Otter.ai to turn coaching insights into concrete steps. Use prompts like: Based on this call, what actions do I need to take in the next week/month? and Turn this call into a simple weekly action plan. Thats how AI helps you move fasterwhile your human coach makes sure you move in the right direction.
Category:
E-Commerce
Year-end giving can be a moment of reflection, but for businesses and philanthropy alike, it should also include looking forward and asking the question, whats next? One throughline from this past year is uncertainty. Uncertainty has rewritten how we work, live, and lead. Yet, one thing that still holds true is we share a responsibility to keep systems strong so no one is left behind, especially children. Ive seen firsthand how instability isnt just economic, its deeply human. Ive seen it in a mother whose babys survival depended on something as small as a packet of therapeutic food. In that moment, you understand that systems created as large scale solutions change lives. GO DEEPER ON PURPOSE Purpose has become one of the most overused words in business, but the leaders who will define whats next are treating it differently. Theyre going deeper. The smartest changemakers are cutting through tokenistic giving and refocusing on whats core to their mission. Theyre aligning personal and corporate philanthropy not around optics, but around outcomes that truly matter like health, equity, sustainability, and opportunity. STRENGTHEN WHATS STABLE, TO WITHSTAND WHATS NOT If recent years have taught us anything, its that the systems we depend on are only as strong as the most vulnerable people within them. Business leaders understand this intuitively. A 2024 survey showed that 45% of global CEOs expect significant business model disruption within three years. Social trust and resilience are key to future competitiveness. Trusted companies can be worth up to four times more than their competitors and 89% of business leaders identified resilience as a major priority in their organizational strategy. Put simply, future-proofing your business means building stronger systems that will support future generations. Your future workforce, customers, and investors are todays children and adolescents. When children thrive, societies stabilize and markets follow. NOT JUST A NUMBER When global supply chains break down, its not just balance sheets that suffer; the livelihoods of entire communities feel the impact. Too often, those disruptions get reduced to numbers on a page like drops in GDP and productivity losses, but whats really at stake is livelihoods. And sometimes the clearest illustration of why stability matters comes down to a single moment. When I was a new mom, I met a Sudanese mother in a refugee camp in Ethiopia near the Sudan border. The woman was holding her baby, who was severely underweight but just beginning to show signs of alertness. She was feeding her child a small packet of ready-to-use therapeutic food, a peanut-based paste that treats severe acute malnutrition. Its a simple, scalable solution with life-changing impact. Malnutrition remains one of the most pressing yet solvable challenges in global health. Addressing it requires the kind of smart, forward-leaning, systems-level innovation UNICEF and its partners are scaling across the world. MAKE GENEROSITY A YEAR-ROUND STRATEGY Uncertainty shouldnt stop you from leading or giving. Support from the private sector can be pivotal for nonprofits, but the greatest impact requires relationships, not just transactions. It requires companies that cocreate with nonprofits, sharing expertise, networks, and long-term commitment to help unlock lasting and innovative solutions. WHATS NEXT The future will be shaped by those who act now. Heres how to do that. Invest in stability. Give toward systems that protect children and strengthen communities. These are the same systems your business relies on for a stable workforce, market, and future. Collaborate with intention. Align your business and your values. Strategic giving builds trust, reinforces brand purpose, and connects you with the partners and consumers who share it. Give forward. Treat generosity as leadership strategy. Its how you future-proof impact for your company, your community, and the world your business depends on. As you take a moment of gratitude during this holiday season, give to whats urgent now and what will define whats next. Michele Walsh is executive vice president and chief philanthropy officer of UNICEF USA.
Category:
E-Commerce
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