Want happy healthy teams? Let them control their time

Want happy healthy teams? Let them control their time | practice (split each time) | How to handle these 5 types of challenging team members Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( July 22, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](   Leading the Way [] [Want happy healthy teams? Let them control their time]( [Want happy healthy teams? Let them control their time]( (Pixabay) An analysis of data from the National Study of the Changing Workforce by behavioral scientists Stephanie Tepper and Neil Lewis Jr. reveals that workers who have flexible schedules and feel in control of their time are more satisfied with their jobs and have a greater sense of well-being than those who feel a sense of time scarcity. Employers can improve retention and employee engagement by offering flexible hours, remote or hybrid work and asynchronous work options, they write. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (7/18) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Not all jobs lend themselves to flexible hours or schedules, Tepper and Lewis note, which means it's [important to have other policies such as generous leave time]( or other forms of support. "In addition to helping employees be more satisfied at work and potentially increasing retention, these types of policies can also help organizations become more accessible and equitable." We make work, work. You don't know what we do, but you'd know if we didn't do it. From automating order generation to AI-powered document processing, and everything in between. [Learn more about our solutions »]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [How to handle these 5 types of challenging team members]( [How to handle these 5 types of challenging team members]( (champpixs/Getty Images) A leader's job is to coach their team to be the best versions of themselves, but when they are aggressive, play the victim, procrastinate or are perfectionists, different methods will be needed to help them change their behavior, writes leadership expert and author Paul Thornton, who shares specific strategies. "If the problematic employee does not respond to your coaching and becomes toxic, it is time to take disciplinary action so the person understands the seriousness of the situation," Thornton notes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (7/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Whether you have a team member who is a perfectionist, a rescuer or is aggressive, the one thing they all need is [a clear plan of action to change their behavior](, Thornton recommends. "Agree on a measure the person will use to track their performance. This provides valuable feedback and keeps them motivated." [] [Read more]( from Paul Thornton on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [How to stop complaining and start solving problems]( Complaining can be helpful when you want to vent or point out a problem, but chronic complaining can lead to a negative mindset that can adversely affect every part of your life, writes author Ryan Estis, who outlines a "No Complaining" challenge he implemented in his office. Nip complaining in the bud by starting your day with rituals that put you in a positive mood, look for opportunities in challenging circumstances and feel your negative emotions, but let them go and look for ways to solve problems, Estis advises. Full Story: [Ryan Estis & Associates]( (7/18) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Estis used a "No Complaining" challenge developed by Rev. Will Bowen [that involves swapping a purple bracelet from one wrist to the other]( whenever you catch yourself, or someone else, complaining, with the goal to keep the bracelet on one wrist for 21 consecutive days. "The 'no complaining' challenge can be difficult, as I found out on Day 1, and so you might want to ease yourself into it." 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"This is going to become a much more sustainable work environment, and you're going to be doing the work that's going to make you better," Newport notes. Full Story: [Big Think]( (7/18) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Protective honeybees slap ants away from nests]( [Protective honeybees slap ants away from nests]( (Pixabay) Asian, or Japanese, honeybees have added wing slaps to the known arsenal of protective measures they use to keep ants out of their nests, and videos described in the journal Ecology show the bees accelerating, leaning back and twisting in a windup to slapping the ants hard enough to knock them into the air to the ground below the nest. Previous research reports the bees gathering into balls to kill intruders with body heat and building barriers from animal feces. Full Story: [PhysOrg]( (7/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [Do these 10 things before forming an opinion]( LeadToday [] - [Don't solve team problems, coach them to solve their own]( Human Resources Director [] - [In rough waters? Use these leadership tips from sailing]( Yahoo [] - [Why it's sometimes best to remain in your comfort zone]( Fast Company (tiered subscription model) [] - [How to gently ask open-ended questions for understanding]( Let's Grow Leaders [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Quite a few presidents before Donald Trump have tried to serve a nonconsecutive term. Who among the following actually won and served that second term? [Vote]( [Grover Cleveland]( [Vote]( [Millard Fillmore]( [Vote]( [William Henry Harrison]( [Vote]( [Martin Van Buren]( [] Editor's Note [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew There is a lot to complain about these days, whether it's politics, business or personal matters. With so much to be disagreeable about, it's easy to become a nattering nabob of negativity if you're not careful. [Ryan Estis' advice to try the "No Complaining" challenge]( is compelling and, well, challenging. Complaining can be so deeply ingrained that we may not even realize we're doing it because when we think we're just commenting or sharing our opinion on things, we're really just complaining about the state of things around us. I haven't taken a "No Complaining" challenge, but I do play what I call "The Grievance Game." I use it to notice whenever I am complaining about something in my head. Usually, it's something someone else has done or forgotten to do. I'll be ruminating about some past offense, and when I catch myself, I say (out loud or in my head), "Grievance!" Then, I dismiss the thought. I've played this game long enough that I can tag and release grievances reasonably quickly now. If I can catch the complaining thoughts before I utter them out loud, I do far less verbal complaining. I've already dealt with the complaint and set it free. I invite you to try one of these games, either the "No Complaint" challenge or "The Grievance Game," and see if it helps you complain less and give more grace and compassion to those around you. If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or [send this link](. What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. 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