Each year, ASE publishes Michigan’s most comprehensive compensation survey. The 2025 results are in, and they reveal a clear trend: wage growth is beginning to stabilize.

Strategy is essential to any organization’s long-term success, but too often it becomes little more than a buzzword. Leaders invest time defining ambitious goals and crafting high-level visions, yet many of these strategies never move beyond a slide deck. The missing link? A real, actionable plan.

A new trend is emerging in workplaces nationwide: unbossing. Gen Z is showing less interest in traditional leadership roles. At first glance, this might seem like a red flag for the future of business, but it’s actually an opportunity if we’re willing to evolve.

Have you ever left a conversation feeling completely seen, heard, and energized—as if something in you had shifted? That wasn’t just your imagination. Neuroscience now confirms what many of us instinctively know: truly meaningful conversations can actually change brain function.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is about acknowledging your emotions, understanding them, and choosing how to respond—especially when the pressure is on. When you're leading others, EQ becomes even more essential. A well-timed pause or a thoughtful question can defuse tension, protect relationships, and model the kind of leadership people want to follow.

Employers are facing an unprecedented mix of challenges that make long-term planning increasingly difficult. The impending tariffs, economic uncertainty, and today’s unpredictable political climate are creating a complex business environment where stability is hard to find. ASE hears daily from business leaders grappling with these concerns and looking for ways to adapt.

As leaders, we are constantly faced with opportunities, challenges, and new initiatives vying for our attention. The ability to focus has never been more critical, yet it is often misunderstood. Steve Jobs captured this idea perfectly when he said:

In a recent episode of "WorkLife with Adam Grant," organizational psychologist Adam Grant engages in a thought-provoking conversation with David Dunning, the renowned psychologist behind the Dunning-Kruger effect. The Dunning-Kruger effect is when people who don’t know much about something think they know a lot. It happens because they don’t have enough knowledge to see what they’re missing. This can cause havoc in the workplace.

Right or wrong, Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are gaining traction—not necessarily as a pathway for employee growth but as a strategic tool for reducing headcount. Though intended to provide structured opportunities for improvement, PIPs are often criticized as thinly veiled mechanisms to prepare employees for termination while shielding companies from potential lawsuits.

2024 has quietly become a year of notable strides for female leaders, even if the headlines don’t immediately reflect it. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reveals progress that could shape the future of leadership for women.

Stressful situations often cloud our judgment, making it challenging to make thoughtful decisions. While we can’t always avoid stress, we can use strategies to cut through the mental fog and think more clearly. Below are five practical methods I found on FastCompany.com to help you navigate high-pressure moments with clarity and confidence. 

In a world where technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are advancing at a rapid pace, it’s natural to wonder about their impact on the workforce. Will AI make certain jobs obsolete? Is there any skill that AI can fully replace? According to a recent report from Indeed, the answer is a reassuring “no.” The report emphasizes that there are “literally zero” skills where AI can entirely take over from human capabilities. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, this...

Looking at this week’s EPTW articles, although very different topics, one theme continues to surface – the importance of communication. Effective communication is the foundation of any successful relationship, whether it be in business, education, or personal life. One of the most popular frameworks for ensuring clarity and impact in messaging is the 7 C’s of Communication. These principles, when applied, help avoid misunderstandings and improve the overall quality of...

We've all experienced a meeting where the leader poses a question, and suddenly, there's an awkward silence. Time seems to slow down, and the silence becomes uncomfortable. This scenario is common in many work environments, but how a leader handles it can greatly impact team morale and the overall sense of psychological safety. Simon Sinek’s podcast series, A Spark of Optimism!, recently gave some great insight into how silence can be golden.

I was inspired to create a “chuck-it list” after attending a thought-provoking presentation last week. We’ve all heard of bucket lists—those aspirations we carry, dreams we want to accomplish, and milestones we aim to reach. Bucket lists inspire us to set goals, push limits, and explore the world. While we eagerly plan what to add to our lives, how often do we stop to think about what we need to remove? Enter the "chuck-it list."