Alisa Cohn, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

Building Agility: High-Growth Leaders' Guide to Success

3 weeks ago | worth.com | Alisa Cohn

All companies are looking for growth. That said, a company experiencing steep growth can feel chaotic and volatile. One startup I work with began the year with 200 employees and currently has more than 1,000. The employees feel enormously stretched by all the new people, the increasing demands, and the constant change. It’s not just startups. The largest division of a major public technology firm I work with changed the way it sold and its product mix last year.
A Guide to Being a Great Board Member: Elites Share Insights

1 month ago | worth.com | Alisa Cohn

My last article, How to Have a Better Board Meeting, generated a number of comments and discussion. Great board meetings come from great boards, and great boards are made up of great board members. So what makes a great board member? To get some different perspectives, I talked to people who have experience sitting on many corporate boards—public, private and family business—to get their takes.
6 Books To Read This Season To Help You Grow

1 month ago | forbes.com | Alisa Cohn

The spark to success in your career often comes from an idea or narrative that inspires you, shifts your perspective, or clarifies a problem you’ve been wrestling with. To find those ideas, you may not have to look any farther than your nightstand or Kindle. Here are 6 great reads that will help you power your leadership, drive your career forward, and help you think more strategically. 1.
Strength In Numbers: How CEO Networks Drive Success

1 month ago | forbes.com | Alisa Cohn

“It’s lonely at the top" is one of the biggest cliches in management. And like most cliches it’s true. Being a leader is lonely—and being an entrepreneur even more so. One of the best ways to combat this loneliness (and learn in the process) is to find peer support groups. What’s a CEO support group? CEO networks are groups which include a set of entrepreneurs and CEOs from across industries to create a trusted environment. Here they’ll share ideas, get advice, and commiserate with each other.
Building Strong Board Dynamics for Better Meetings

2 months ago | worth.com | Alisa Cohn

I remember the first time I sat in on a board meeting of a medium-sized public technology company. I sat in on the morning session and stayed through lunch, so I got a good look at the way the meeting ran and the dynamics of the directors, which were pretty uninspiring. I’ve since witnessed other such sessions, and I’ve asked scores of directors: “How do you think your board meetings are?
Improve Leadership Skills: Three Strategies for Success

Jan 22, 2025 | worth.com | Alisa Cohn

The first quarter sets the tone for the year. If you want to improve your leadership skills this year, there is no time like the present to start. Here are three ideas for you that you can incorporate starting right now. Of course, you should set objectives for the quarter and for the year, and certainly you want to set a high standard for your team. Building in small wins helps you motivate people towards larger, more difficult goals.
4 Strategies To Thrive In A Manager-Less Workplace

Jan 16, 2025 | forbes.com | Alisa Cohn

Corporate America continues to slash their ranks of middle managers. Data from Live Data Technologies, as reported by the WSJ, shows that U.S. public companies have cut their middle-manager headcounts by about 6% over the past 4 years. That may (or may not) lead to more efficiency. But what it definitely means is that professionals need to work with much less management support. You may hail this as good news if your manager tended to be more of a hindrance than a helper.
To Lead Well, Think Like A Creator

Nov 6, 2024 | forbes.com | Alisa Cohn

Here come the creators. According to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy is expected to roughly double to $480 billion by 2027, up from about $250 billion in 2024Creators build communities and drive engagement by producing original content, often leveraging social media platforms to connect with their audiences. As a leader, you might think you have nothing in common with cheeky online entrepreneurs, but think again.
5 Ways To Use AI Tools To Help Build Your Brand

Oct 17, 2024 | flipboard.com | Alisa Cohn

7 hours agoTaylor Swift’s legendary Eras tour is finally ending, after more than a year and a half. She’ll give her final Eras performance December 8 in Vancouver, B.C.. But Swift, the newest pop star billionaire and one of the smartest marketers on earth, announced one more offering for her fans this week. …
5 Ways To Use AI Tools To Help Build Your Brand

Oct 17, 2024 | forbes.com | Alisa Cohn

In an increasingly noisy world, the way to stand out is to intentionally build your brand. This helps you future proof your career of course. It also brings you a bigger platform to get your ideas out into the world. But you’re a busy leader and you may not know where to start building your brand. One way to give yourself an edge is to use AI tools. What’s a personal brand? You can think of your personal brand as your reputation.