Performance Food Group will pay about $2.5 billion in cash, stock and debt assumption for Core-Mark, with the deal set to close in the first half of next year. Core-Mark CEO Scott McPherson will stay on, the companies said.

United Natural Foods is the latest company to create third-party digital marketplaces to reach B2B customers, joining Alibaba, Amazon and others. "Every enterprise faces the same challenge: move now to develop customer-centric platforms, or watch as the digital natives overtake them," says Adrien Nussenbaum, co-CEO of Mirakl, which is powering UNFI's marketplace.

Floor-scrubbing robots and other autonomous cleaning technology can improve safety and cleanliness in warehouses while saving time and money, writes Faizan Sheikh. Such technology can also help counteract warehouse labor shortages, Sheikh writes.

Improve the business-to-business buying experience by making it digital-first with features such as on-demand demos, free trials and virtual events, writes Marie Hattar, chief marketing officer at Keysight Technologies. Additional strategies Hattar recommends include adopting business-to-consumer-style purchase processes and using storytelling for digital content.

The best way to ensure gatekeepers aren't preventing sales from happening is to always make multiple contacts within each organization, writes Colleen Francis. Other tactics include reaching out to prospects at different times of the day or leveraging power through team selling, she writes.

Introverted leaders can hone their executive presence by speaking up more often, allowing others to get to know them and being ready to share their insights, writes Joel Garfinkle. "Extroverts don't have the market on executive presence cornered -- they are just more inclined to show it," he writes.

Alteryx CEO Mark Anderson has used listening circles, town halls and one-on-one meetings to connect with team members and display the empathy he wants to see. "Balancing vulnerability and strength as a company leader is a delicate balance, but it is the most effective and rewarding way to navigate this extraordinary era that has forever changed the way we approach leadership," Anderson argues.

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