Are you feeling frantic, anxious, and out of control? If so, you will make a lot of mistakes. Don’t let stress and chaos rule your world. In the video above, Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin shares a way to avoid making critical mistakes in stressful situations.

How can you be at your best when you're stressed?

Managers can increase employee engagement through

• sharing the mission and vision
• fostering the company's culture
• trusting employees
• recognizing employees

Recognizing employee contributions can increase productivity. (See the attached 2015 North American workforce Report, The greatness gap: The state of employee disengagement.)

What are some ways that managers can recognize employees without spending any money?

According to the National Retail Federation Study 2015, the average amount spent on a Halloween costume is $42.50.

More adult costumes are sold than children's costumes. Many companies celebrate Halloween at work. Some have costume parades; others decorate; some have pumpkin decorating contests. 

How does celebrating at work help employee morale and team building?

If you don't know how to start a conversation at an event, CareerHMO's Ariella Coombs gives you some handy starters.

Which conversation starter will you use at your next networking event?

Dell agreed to buy EMC for $67 billion, which will be the largest merger and acquisition (M&A) deal involving two technology companies. Dell began as a personal computer company, but want to provide technology services to other companies. CNN Money reports that "EMC is a behemoth of a corporate IT business. It is among the largest providers of storage hardware in the world. It also makes servers and owns security company RSA, which is known for its hard-to-crack SecurID tokens. And its most prized possession is its 81% stake in VMware -- the company that rules the world of virtualization software that allows businesses to run various operating systems on their devices."

Competitor Hewlett-Packard merged with Compaq in 2001, with EDS in 2008, and with Autonomy in 2011. But, CNN Money reports that "Hewlett-Packard is about to split into two: a consumer PC-focused business and a corporate IT solutions business." CNN Money questions Dell's decision as "the recent trend of large tech companies is getting smaller instead of bigger."

Explain why you think the EMC-Dell merger will succeed or fail.

In this interview, Evan Smith, Texas Tribune CEO, cofounder and editor-in-chief says it is impossible to speak about the future of news without discussing technology.

Why does Smith say that the news and technology "are inextricably intertwined"?

Why is technology considered a key element in the management environment?

Explain why every company in every industry must consider technology when planning for the future. 

Should every company think like a tech company? Explain.

The Career Playbook: Essential Advice for Today's Young Professionals is a book for students and new graduates seeking a job. James M. Citrin, the author, surveyed graduates and young professionals, as well as leaders in business and the nonprofit sector.

The videos in the author's playlist include networking, money, interviewing, success, and company.

Watch the one on interviewing.

What are two specific ways to "nail" the interview?

It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and Compelling Culture is a new book by Dee Ann Turner, vice president of corporate talent at Chick-fil-A.

Turner is head of recruitment and retention of both franchisee operators and staff. The book is a culmination of 30 years of work at Chick-fil-A.

In the book, she relates that Chick-fil-A is not in the chicken business; we are in the people business.

Why would the managers at Chick-fil-A believe they are in the people business when they sell chicken products?

Think about the decision you made and answer the following questions:

• Describe the situation leading up to the decision.
• What process did you use to gather the information that was used in making the decision?
• When did you recognize that you had sufficient information to make the decision?
• To what extent did you rely on information from records, reports, etc.?
• Did you seek advice from colleagues before making the decision?
• Were you pleased with the outcome that resulted from the decision?

Mark Mallinger and Matt Stefl write, "Data provide the promise of certainty. However, in business, certainty is not too dissimilar from a desert oasis; pursuing it typically results in disappointment." Read the article below.

 Why should data be regarded as a tool to help make decisions rather than the foundation of decision-making?

Copyright Infringement: Images You Can and Can't Share on Your Blog

As the above infographic shows, using copyrighted content can lead to a site such as Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube blocking your post and/or having a lawsuit brought against you.

What is the Fair Use Doctrine?

Explain how to find approved images and how to properly attribute them.

How does technology provide more flexibility in the workplace?

How does technology create un-welcomed distractions?

How can managers use company technology to ensure employees are productive?

Dear Community College Colleagues,

We ask that your college participate in a National Moment of Silence in honor of the victims of the shooting at Umpqua Community College.  Please join us this Thursday, October 8, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. (PT)/2:00 p.m. (ET) in observing a moment of silence. 

As a show of solidarity and support for our friends and colleagues who are working tirelessly to pick up the pieces on the UCC campus, please use the #IamUCC hashtag and share your support via social media.  Please encourage your students, staff, and faculty to participate in these efforts and let’s show Umpqua that we all stand with them as they begin the process of healing their campus community.

Thanks in advance to all of you for supporting Umpqua Community College.   

Walter G. Bumphus, Ph.D.
President and CEO
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)

The Infographic above by BambooHR reveals why 1,005 U.S. employees over the age of 24 quit their jobs in the past and what could be done to improve employers’ onboarding programs.

The top five reasons U.S. workers gave for leaving new jobs shortly after being hired:

1.Changed mind on work type (in other words, they were still deciding on their career path and it turns out they didn’t like the one they’d chosen)

2.The work was different than they expected (in other words, the job description didn’t accurately reflect the position)

3.My boss was a jerk (so employers need to be more careful about not putting tyrants in charge)

4.Didn’t receive enough training (in other words, employees don’t want to be thrown to the wolves unprepared), and

5.The job wasn’t fun (in other words, the job description failed new hires again).

What do workers want from onboarding programs?

Universum conducts annual student surveys to determine the most attractive or desired employers for students in various categories.

“This list represents this year’s Ideal Employers for U.S. business students. Students choose an unlimited number of employers they would consider working for from a list of 230. From their ‘considered’ employers they choose their top five ‘Ideal’ employers. The Ideal Employer Rankings represent the companies with the most ‘Ideal’ votes.”

Below are the top 10 employers for Business students.

See the top 100 at the link below.

Which one of the employers is the most appealing to you? Explain.

Most people still go to a store to shop. But, some people are shopping on their phones and computers. Nevertheless, according to eMarketer and Rev Trax, far more sales are influenced somehow by digital and mobile shopping. eMarketer created the attached Snapshot of the US retail market, including shoppers and buyers by device, sales by device, and ad spending, to help managers in the retail ecosystem understand their customers, and their competitors.

Study the attached infographic.

How big is the overall US retail market, online and offline?

How many people use mobile devices for shopping and buying?

What are the most popular product categories for digital shopping?

How are retailers advertising on digital media?

How can knowledge of commerce influence managers' decisions?