I was in a virtual networking event last week, and one of the ice breaker questions was, “What was your favorite Halloween costume?” For me, it was a toss up between going as wickedness (dark sparkly clothes and lots of sly winking involved) or my homemade (by my mom) Catwoman costume (me channeling Julie Newmar). The funniest one was shared by another attendee: guy puts a hanger around his neck and voila, he was dry cleaning. What’s your favorite, either that you wore or saw?

In any event, I hope you have a Happy Halloween. Between now and then, here are a few items that caught my attention this past week that I’d like to share with you and other business leaders looking to make a positive difference:

• The US Census department has published the results of its most recent Small Business Pulse Survey re: Covid’s impact on small business.
• “People are looking for more than a paycheck. They are seeking to contribute skills and talents to a mission they believe in and a company that supports their personal and professional development. This is why career ladders by themselves are not enough.” Helping employees gain self awareness to align their work and their desire for jobs to contribute more than a paycheck is the topic of this by David Hassell for Fast Company.

• People are also looking for unbiased work environments. Here’s an interesting piece by Amy Epstein Gluck for Fisher Broyles’ employment law practice. It cites various studies, surveys, and a recent NY Times article on microaggressions. It reminds me that we all need to pay attention to what may be affecting our employees that doesn’t make it onto our radars.
• And here’s the article the above article references, from the NY Times. These are uncomfortable to read (I, personally, get flashbacks to my corporate days from articles like this), but we all need to keep bringing these issues to the fore to better our organizations.

Do Good Spotlight on: ProPublica

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force. They dig into important issues, shining a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust — and they stick with those issues through to resolution, to hold people accountable for their actions.

With a team of more than 100 dedicated journalists, ProPublica covers a range of topics including government and politics, business, criminal justice, the environment, education, health care, immigration, and technology. They focus on stories with the potential to real change. We donated this week and here’s where you can learn more and consider donating too.

Okay, that’s it for now. I hope the rest of your week is a good mix of exciting, productive, and energizing. Stay well, stay strong, stay focused. And Happy Halloween!