Lineage Logistics is expanding in the direct-to-consumer deliveries segment through last year's acquisitions of Crystal Creek Logistics and Perishable Shipping Solutions. The PSS portfolio of warehouses could allow Lineage to offer delivery within two to three days of the receipt of an order, according to Mark Nelson, PSS' founder and the new head of Lineage's D2C business.

Supply chain difficulties are responsible for about half the painful inflation the country is experiencing, with about two-thirds of recent higher inflation tied to factors not related to demand, according to economist Adam Hale Shapiro of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. "Because supply shocks raise prices and suppress economic activity, the prevalence of supply-related factors raises the risk of entering a period of low growth and elevated inflation levels," Shapiro says.

Distribution sales has become more reliant on data and focused on collaboration with buyers to meet their needs and add value, making it an ideal career field for women to consider, according to Sandy Riggs, senior director of sales at Lawson Products. "Women are naturally empathetic and actively listen to understand," qualities that lead to success in sales, Riggs says.

Automation, robotics, digital twins and 3D printing hold great potential for solving problems and improving flexibility and efficiency in supply chains, writes Joseph Moss. Other technologies, namely artificial intelligence, machine learning, the internet of things and 5G internet, could also lead to fully autonomous supply chains, Moss writes.

Disagreements with customers over pricing, confusion over unclear goals and misunderstandings over value propositions can scuttle business-to-business deals, writes Darya Troncoso. Having a clear contract, transparency across channels and exclusivity offers can keep everyone on the same page, Troncoso writes.

Companies that integrate their sales and marketing leads, something Candice Georgiadis, the CEO of Digital Agency, calls "smarketing," can improve both functions and the bottom line. "This alliance helps keep your product relevant and in demand for longer than having teams work in silos," Georgiadis writes.

The Federal Trade Commission has "heard concerns that a handful of companies may now again be controlling the bulk of the entertainment supply chain from content creation to distribution," said agency head Lina Khan during a recent hearing. Khan also said the FTC would be more likely to bar a merger altogether than to grant the kind of conditional approval it has in the recent past.

Bad news outside the office can affect the mood of teams, write consultant Mollie West Duffy and Humu's head of content and communications Liz Fosslien, who recommend leaders make it safe for employees to speak up and have different reactions while helping them focus on how to create positive outcomes. "We're not suggesting you condone screaming and yelling in your workplace, but you can gently encourage your team to channel any anger or despair they express towards improving a situation or advocating for a larger change," they write.

Successful leaders are those who understand their success ultimately hinges on how well they communicate, whether in-person, through the written word or nonverbally, writes Kevin Eikenberry. Almost all aspects of life involve communication, so "as you get better at it, everything seems to improve all at once," Eikenberry writes.