Why Elon Musk Bought Twitter

On Monday, Elon Musk bought Twitter for forty-four billion dollars. Musk, the C.E.O. of Tesla and the richest man on earth, plans to take the social-media company private, and has said that he wants Twitter to adhere more closely to the principles of free speech, which, in a statement, Musk called “the bedrock of a functioning democracy.” (In the same statement, he described Twitter as the “digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”) Musk himself is a frequent tweeter, and it is assumed that he will continue to use the platform, and potentially reinstate the account of former President Donald Trump. He is also thought to be less likely to ban people for violations of the platform’s policies, which themselves may change. READ MORE

We have the potential to get happier (and more successful) as we get older. Here’s how

Arthur C. Brooks is an American social scientist, the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. He has authored eleven books, including the bestsellers Love Your Enemies and The Conservative Heart, and writes the popular “How to Build a Life” column at The Atlantic. READ MORE

Sales Quotas: Friend or Foe?

Sales quotas power sales compensation formulas. Getting them right is crucial for a well-functioning incentive plan. But it’s a painful process for first-line managers. They face the same challenges each year: an unreasonable number and a small window of time to allocate the quota. 

Is there a better approach? READ MORE

CalPERS to vote to replace Buffett as Berkshire chairman

CalPERS, the largest U.S. public pension fund, on Tuesday said it will vote for a shareholder proposal that Berkshire Hathaway Inc replace Warren Buffett as chairman, though he would remain chief executive officer.

The fund, whose full name is the California Public Employees' Retirement System, disclosed its vote in a regulatory filing ahead of Berkshire's scheduled April 30 annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. READ MORE

These states have posted the most dramatic post-pandemic job gains

More than a dozen US states reached or exceeded their pre-pandemic employment levels in March, and more than one-third have reported record-low unemployment rates, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the nation claws its way back from the stark job losses incurred during the early stages of the pandemic, the latest numbers show a clearer picture of a regionally driven recovery, with some of the most dramatic and sustained employment gains occurring in the Rocky Mountain states. READ MORE

DeSantis looks to hold Twitter board 'accountable' for response to Musk's buyout bid

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that Florida will seek ways to hold Twitter's board of directors "accountable" over their response to billionaire Elon Musk's bid to take the company private.

"The state of Florida, in our pension system, we have shares of Twitter," DeSantis said during a press conference. "I didn't buy it. We have people that run the fund, but nevertheless, it hasn't been great in return on investment. It's been pretty stagnant for many, many years." READ MORE

The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy

Researchers and leaders have looked for the secret to successful leadership for centuries. Dozens of new books each year promise to deliver the answer. We decided to examine this question empirically, and when we did, we found that the greatest predictor of success for leaders is not their charisma, influence, or power. It is not personality, attractiveness, or innovative genius. The one thing that supersedes all these factors is positive relational energy: the energy exchanged between people that helps uplift, enthuse, and renew them. READ MORE

Towns Are Turning to Pot Shops to Shore Up Their Budgets

As cannabis sales surge around the U.S., local authorities are reaching agreements with businesses in order to secure funding for new services. 

Operators seeking local licenses increasingly are agreeing to municipal officials’ requests for a sweetened deal. The spoils of these so-called host community agreements come atop their slice of overall sales, with towns and cities typically collecting an additional 2% or 3%. Companies are betting it’s worth it to be early on the scene. READ MORE