Don't wait till the next review to talk to employees

How to prepare for an employee absence | The team's needs come first | Autonomous trucks will change how goods get to market Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version](   December 13, 2018 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [FORWARD]( [] Leading Edge [] [How to prepare for an employee absence]( If you know your team will be short a key player for a while, prepare by assigning those tasks to people who'd appreciate new responsibility, writes Naphtali Hoff. Clarify exactly what's expected, focusing only on the core tasks to avoid overloading the people stepping up, he explains. [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [The team's needs come first]( Leaders who prioritize themselves over their teams can't be surprised when their employees fail to excel, writes team development specialist Simon Mac Rory. "It also means that as a leader you must recognize that the team is comprised of individuals and that each has separate, unique needs and operate at differing levels of ability and confidence," he writes. [Great Leadership]( (12/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( 5 Culture Trends for 2019 As we approach 2019, major shifts in the work environment will continue to affect the ways companies do business. New research uncovers 5 big culture trends for 2019. [Download the paper]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Strategic Management [] [Autonomous trucks will change how goods get to market]( The emergence of autonomous trucking will mean that managers of rail, port and warehouse operations will need to adjust their scheduling and facilities to keep goods moving 24/7, write Aisha Chottani, Greg Hastings, John Murnane and Florian Neuhaus of McKinsey. Also, smaller trucking companies might become unable to compete with larger ones because of costs, and vehicle manufacturers might offer autonomous transport as a service, they write. [McKinsey]( (12/2018), [Axios]( (12/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [China's app ecosystem shows a path to revenue diversification]( Many popular internet and app companies are focused almost entirely on advertising or direct subscription revenue, whereas companies in China have adopted a more diversified approach to revenue that includes social networks, gamification, product placement and digital coupons, writes Connie Chan of Andreessen Horowitz. "Studying China illustrates how expanding sources of revenue, not just growing existing revenue lines, is a lens to drive product thinking," Chan writes. [Andreessen Horowitz]( (12/7) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Understanding the Impact of Board Portals Looking for ways to streamline board communication, information sharing, and recording meeting minutes? [Learn how board portals can greatly impact board efficiency and productivity.]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Smarter Communication [] [Don't wait until the next review to talk to employees]( You'll have stronger relationships with employees by regularly meeting to discuss roles, goals and happiness instead of waiting for an annual review, writes Lolly Daskal. Ask them how you can be of assistance, whether it's through listening or helping them overcome obstacles. [Lolly Daskal]( (12/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] The Big Picture Each Thursday, what's next for work and the economy [] [How will work change with an older workforce?]( The US population is getting older, and yet the working world has not grappled with how to best utilize people who are living longer, healthier lives and want to keep working, writes Linda Marsa. Some efforts include employers who offer part-time hours or retraining, as well as BMW's efforts to reconfigure assembly lines and safety equipment to help older employees be productive. [Nautilus]( (12/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [What working at a bankrupt airline taught this P&G executive]( Leigh Radford helps lead Procter & Gamble's venture arm, but her career began with an early job at Eastern Air Lines just as the business was entering bankruptcy. "We went from 150,000 employees to 1,500 overnight, and all of a sudden it's about cleaning the bathrooms since you don't have janitorial service, it's about writing personal paychecks to try to keep the airline afloat," she says. [The Atlantic online]( (12/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [The search for the Titanic was really a military operation]( The 1980s search for the Titanic was a US Navy-funded, classified expedition where Robert Ballard was tasked primarily with finding two lost nuclear submarines, leaving only days to search for the Titanic. "We're always pushing the boundaries of technology and exploration, but the story of the Titanic reminds us that there are great risks and tragedies that accrue to those ambitions," says Kathryn Keane of National Geographic, whose museum is hosting an exhibit on the Titanic. [CBS News]( (12/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Editor's Note [] More insights from SmartBrief Besides our more than 200 newsletters, SmartBrief publishes original insights on leadership, marketing, education and more. Here's what you may have missed: - [When businesses engage in politics, alignment is key]( - [How the mocktail culture has affected bar bills]( - [3 Tips to Optimize Your Digital Ad Campaign]( - [6 social media trends revamping digital advertising]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] The sea and wind can at the same time convey my neighbor's vessel and my own. 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