Here are this week’s links to a few good stories we found and selected. We feel they might add valuable insights and perspectives for small to midsize businesses.

Inevitably, the new year brings resolutions with it.

Ron Thomas offers some good ones for business leaders in his article Build a “Culture of Compassion” in 2018. He speaks to the following leadership values defined by Stephen Covey:

  • Be more concerned about what is right than being right.
  • Act on good ideas rather than have good ideas.
  • Build a team rather than exalt self.
  • Recognize contributions rather than being recognized for making them.

This is great advice for the new year indeed.

Communicating with employees can be a lot more productive with a few simple constructive techniques.

Read Dan MacIntosh’s article, 4 Ways To Get Your Small Business Employees To Listen When They Don’t, to learn more.

Finally, two state Supreme Courts in New England made rulings in 2017 that might make life a bit easier for companies.

In Connecticut, the court concluded that a business can hire an independent contractor even if the worker chooses to provide services to a single company. In Vermont, the court held that a Limited Liability Company (LLC) is an entity, and as such, the state cannot assess unemployment taxes on LLC owners. Read Five Key Independent Contractor Legal Developments in 2017 – and What to Expect in 2018 (Part I) to learn more.