It was a prosperous holiday season for e-commerce retailers last year. New data revealed online sales climbed 3.5% compared to 2021. 

In 2022, shoppers spent more than $211 billion between Black Friday and Christmas, a new record, according to Adobe Analytics. Shoppers worked to cash in on the numerous deals offered by retailers. Toys and electronics were the best bargains, with prices slashed upward of 25%.

Hot sellers this go-round: Legos, Hot Wheels, Paw Patrols and LoL Surprise. For you “older kids,” watches and outdoor grills were most commonly found under the Christmas tree. (Assuming the grill could fit … and wouldn’t set the tree aflame.)

But while the year may have ended with a flurry of spending, it begs the question whether the appetite for online shopping will continue in 2023 — or if we’ll all find lumps of coal in our stockings come next December.

TMNT C-Suite: Your business could use turtle power.

Psychologist: Let’s talk anger at work.

Red Bull: The wings’ surprising origin story.

Hot Toddy: Easy to make, easy to drink.

(Source: Fred Wolf Films)

While each of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are formidable individual warriors, they’re far more tenacious as a team. Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello might quibble over pizza toppings, but playing off each other’s strengths yields a sum greater than its parts.

“Together, there is nothing your four minds cannot accomplish,” Master Splinter told them in 1990’s live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. “Help each other. Draw upon each other.”

Beyond fighting crime in the sewers of New York, these teachings can apply to business — especially for a diverse management team with distinct attributes.

Leonardo: The Focused CEO

He doesn’t joke around as much as the other turtles and wouldn’t dream of relaxing, but Leonardo’s type-A personality is perfectly suited for the heavy lifts (and burdens) of leadership. He dots the i’s and crosses the t’s, stays laser-focused on strategy and training, and keeps a cool head under pressure. Leo is basically Tim Cook in a half shell.

Donatello: The Tech Innovator

The creative brains of the group, Donatello is always coming up with new gadgets and vehicles to improve efficiency and catch the competition (y’know, Shredder) off guard. This is your visionary CTO. Even non-tech companies need a keen and agile mind in charge of product development.

Raphael: The No-BS Operations Manager

He’s a hothead. He clashes with Leonardo constantly, resenting micromanagement. But Ralphael is the resourceful ops manager who does the ugly work on the ground, crunching numbers and finding realistic solutions. They’re not often people pleasers and can push back against unconventional business strategies, but someone who makes things happen is a crucial asset.

Michaelangelo: The Head of Culture

In the midst of battle, Mikey will order a *large breath* thick crust pizza with double cheese, ham, pepperoni, lettuce, onions, sausage, green peppers, and pineapple with no anchovies. His fun and upbeat party spirit keeps everybody in a good mood, defusing and even preventing tension.

This is why many businesses are investing in senior culture officers (or chief happiness officers). From scheduling office parties and team-building exercises to picking up-tempo playlists, they keep your team actually feeling like one. Cowabunga!

(Source: Shutterstock)

Dr. Steven Rogelberg is a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Is it ever OK to get angry at work? Is anger functional or dysfunctional? In a review of 150 studies on this topic, researchers identified key learnings that were rich, intriguing, and oftentimes counterintuitive.

Anger from directs can imply trust

If one of your directs comes to you in an angry manner, it typically means they trust you enough to help fix the situation. In fact, less cynical (and more committed) employees have the greatest tendency to express anger to managers; more cynical (and less committed) employees tend to just gripe to their friends. 

The best response, if a direct shows anger constructively, is to not get angry at them in return. Learn more. Be curious. Figure out what’s what. It can be an opportunity to build the relationship and help the team thrive.

Aggression is different

Be sure that directs’ anger is not morphing into aggression, which is inherently about inflicting harm. Aggression should never be tolerated.

Managers should avoid expressing anger

Given managers’ higher level of workplace status and power, too many assume that shouting at directs is OK. That is just not the case. Research shows it has long-term negative consequences by lowering trust, morale, and team satisfaction. As a manager, there really is no place for anger in your motivational toolbox.

Be sensitive to racial and gender stereotypes

Research shows that when men get angry, it’s seen as more acceptable than when women do. And for women of color, anger is seen as even less acceptable. These double standards are unfair, and we all need to be aware of the bias. Anger happens, at times, to everybody.

(Source: Shutterstock)

Most of us don’t question how our energy drinks came into existence; we just chug them to get through our day. However, Red Bull’s story has a great lesson.

Before there was Red Bull, there was Krating Daeng, a first-of-its-kind drink created in 1976 by Thai pharmaceutical company owner and former duck farmer Chaleo Yoovidhya.

Yoovidhya marketed his concoction with the familiar logo featuring two bulls, giving free samples to truck drivers in recently industrialized Thailand. The drink caught on because it worked; the drivers felt more alert.

Word got to Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz, who felt jet-lagged while visiting Bangkok to license a toothpaste brand. A can of Krating Daeng gave him wings. So he brought the product to Europe, taking great pains to carefully translate the name and maintain its original integrity with the confidence that a great product isn’t bound by borders.

That’s how a duck farmer and a toothpaste marketer ended up selling 10 billion cans of energy drinks per year. It’s a reminder to always keep your eyes, ears, and tastebuds open for great ideas.

(Source: Shutterstock)

You might’ve had a wonderful time with friends and family on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but their germs weren’t welcome guests. If you’ve got the sniffles around this time of year, a classic hot toddy just might soothe that scratchy throat.

No longer just for grandmas having a nightcap, the toddy has been appearing at hip cocktail bars. However, it’s so simple to make at home.

Simply add near-boiling water to a mug with a spoonful of sweetener (honey, agave syrup, or plain sugar is fine), a squeeze of lemon, and a few good glugs of booze. Whiskey is typical, but anything you like also works: Mezcal, Calvados, Chartreuse … you name it.

For added complexity, consider steeping a tea bag as well. Feel better!

Written by Antonio Ferme, Marty Beckerman, Dan Ketchum, and Aaron Goldfarb. Comic by John McNamee.