Walmart is spending on in-house research and acquiring retail brands and technology startups, all in pursuit of Amazon's e-commerce and advertising businesses. Walmart is not only selling its own products but increasingly partnering with other brands that can sell in stores and on Walmart's website, says Jet.com founder Marc Lore, who leads Walmart's domestic e-commerce business.

The work of managers isn't easy, but any manager can communicate vision and values to inspire teams to work toward a common goal, argues Julie Zhuo, a Facebook executive and author of a book on managing.

When seeking to solve problems, first create a statement that clearly lays it out different perspectives, writes Jamie Flinchbaugh. While formulating the statement, also address how any potential solution will be validated.

Hard conversations can be handled better by displaying vulnerability, being clear about the type of conversation taking place and using open-ended statements to respect the other person's emotions, writes Jenn Lofgren. "You might need to have a series of conversations instead of trying to push for a result in a single discussion," she writes.

PR is an important part of any company, but it helps when what is being told to the outside world lines up with internal communication, whether it be celebrating success or acknowledging mistakes, writes Cate Huston. "When PR is inauthentic, when the outside doesn't match the inside, it's an exercise in fantasy," she notes.

Decision-making can be improved when the process involves all relevant stakeholders but the decision is delegated to the proper reporting level, according to McKinsey research. When such decisions also account for enterprise-level concerns, companies can move quickly without sacrificing quality.

Walter Bettinger, CEO of Schwab, learned from his father that a good reputation is the most valuable asset anyone can have. "I think the two most important things in leadership, whether it's in a time of crisis or even if in wonderful times, come down to transparency and vulnerability," he says.

Japanese consumers are already enjoying ruby-colored chocolate from Barry Callebaut, with the US market awaiting regulatory approval to label the item as chocolate. The mystery is in how the closely guarded production process produces pinkish chocolate without using artificial coloring.

Banks are reluctant to handle cryptocurrency accounts because of anonymity, leaving companies searching for someone to handle payments. Bitfinex, a cryptocurrency exchange, lost $850 million in customer funds, according to the New York attorney general's office.

Fighting jet lag starts by minimizing the possibility by being rested before a trip, limiting alcohol and caffeine and drinking plenty of water. Movement, minimizing blue light from screens and getting out in the sun also can help.