The case against feedback

NYSE president: Surround yourself with top talent | Ethics is a process, not a gut feeling | Follow these 5 steps in strategic planning Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version](   March 12, 2019 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [FORWARD]( [] Leading Edge [] [NYSE president: Surround yourself with top talent]( Hiring smart people helps bosses stay sharp, frees them up to try new things and can even stoke a healthy competitiveness. "Whether this is at work or anywhere else, if you surround yourself with people who make you a better version of yourself, and you're doing the same for them, we're all going to be better off, and I think that's just a good way to go through life," says Stacey Cunningham, president of the New York Stock Exchange. [Inc. online]( (3/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Ethics is a process, not a gut feeling]( Ethical decisions by leaders and organizations cannot be driven by "intuition or gut feeling," writes Carnegie Mellon University professor John Hooker. He provides a case study and a three-step guide to determine whether a potential decision is ethical. [ThoughtLeaders]( (3/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Can a City Surprise You? This One Will Downtown Fort Worth is all about surprises, from its convenient access to DFW International Airport and its walkability to its vibrant mix of corporate, cultural and entertainment facilities. [Get the details >]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Strategic Management [] [Follow these 5 steps in strategic planning]( Sarah Bowling, founder of the humanitarian organization Saving Moses, suggests leaders observe "five Ws" in strategic planning. They must identify who is on their team, when and where meetings are held, why their organization exists and what it's there to achieve. [Forbes]( (3/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Read 7 Employee Engagement Strategies We polled over 450 reps on their organization's view of engagement, who's responsible for strategies, and what engagement tools they use for the best results. Designed to give leaders insight into how to invest in employee engagement, [this report pulls together key findings and trends](. ADVERTISEMENT [] Smarter Communication [] [The case against feedback]( Feedback is an obsession in management today, and yet it's a flawed idea that incorrectly assumes people want feedback or respond well to it, argue Marcus Buckingham of the ADP Research Institute and Ashley Goodall of Cisco Systems. "We excel only when people who know us and care about us tell us what they experience and what they feel, and in particular when they see something within us that really works," they write. [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (March-April 2019) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Use a speech to quickly solve listeners' problems]( Before writing a speech or a talk, consider what problem you're trying to solve for your audience and how you can say it in the fewest possible words, writes Pete Vargas, the founder and CEO of Advance Your Reach. "Ask yourself, if I only had two minutes or five minutes, what would I teach?" he advises. [Fast Company online]( (3/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Mobile Device Usage is a Threat to Data Security 74% of global IT leaders reported a data breach due to a mobile security issue. Discover how cybersecurity is shifting to meet the needs of a mobile world, and why it's critical to not fall behind. Learn how to protect your organization from mobile threats in [The Convergence of InfoSec & Mobile](. ADVERTISEMENT [] Innovation & Creativity A weekly spotlight on making the next big thing happen [] [Do patents spark productivity?]( Innovative ideas can lead to more productivity, according to a study of US patents by Kellogg School of Management professor Dimitris Papanikolaou and research partners who identified the productivity spikes that result from patent filings. "Now we can use this measure to explore other patterns, such as how much productivity is driven by changes in technology versus regulatory changes, shifts in market power, or other factors," he says. [Kellogg Insight]( (3/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Earn a free year of digital access to The New York Times Crossword Ready for a fun challenge? Ponder the daily puzzle, take a quick break with the mini, or explore the expansive archive to delight in the clever wordplay of the Crossword. Refer SmartBrief to 5 colleagues and enjoy a free year of unlimited access to The Crossword. Your Referral Link: smartbrief.com/LEADERSHIP/?referrerId=japnABMSAp&campaign=ad_referral_NYTcross ADVERTISEMENT [] SmartPulse [] Have you ever fired a client/customer? Yes, and I don't hesitate to do so if they're a bad client/customer. 69.90% No, I've never been in that position to have to do it. 18.32% No, but I wanted to and someone else wouldn't let me. 6.81% No, but I really should have and regret not doing so. 4.97% [] The customer isn’t always right. As clients or customers, many of us have been brainwashed into thinking we’re always right and we have the power in a client-supplier relationship. The poll data show that’s clearly not true. Clients can get fired just as easily as suppliers can. Keep this in mind when deciding how you work with your suppliers. Do you jerk them around? Make unreasonable demands? Don't pay on time? Treat them poorly? You might find yourself looking for another supplier if you behave that way. If you’re trying to decide whether or not to fire a client, consider the cost of staying with them and what you’re giving up by not pursuing better, easier-to-work-with clients. When you realize what you’re missing out on, it might give you the courage to make an often long-overdue firing decision. -- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of [ThoughtLeaders](. Before launching his own company, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He's the author of three leadership books: "[One Piece of Paper](," "[Lead Inside the Box](" and "[The Elegant Pitch](." [] What's your approach to onboarding new managers? [Vote]( [We have a rigorous, comprehensive onboarding program.]( [Vote]( [We provide some initial onboarding then leave it up to that manager.]( [Vote]( [We provide bare-bones onboarding.]( [Vote]( [We throw them in the deep end and let them fend for themselves.]( [] In Their Own Words [] [How "managing 2-up, 2 down" can increase success]( Ron Williams, former chairman and CEO of Aetna, says midlevel executives can stay informed on all aspects of the business through "managing 2-up, 2-down," which means meeting with people two levels above and two levels below. "Gaining perspectives up and down the organization will do a lot to broaden your understanding of what's important, what's working, and what isn't," he notes. [Thrive Global]( (3/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Wildflowers mark a colorful early spring in Southern Calif.]( Wildflower seeds that are usually dormant in Southern California's Anza-Borrego desert have blossomed as part of a "super bloom" sparked by large amounts of rain. "If the caterpillars and freezing temperatures stay away, the already gorgeous wave of wildflowers could intensify and light up other areas well into spring," writes Julie Watson. [The Associated Press]( (3/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] Put your ego in your pocket and sit on it. Beverly Jenkins, author March is Women's History Month [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [Sign Up]( [SmartBrief offers 200+ newsletters]( [Advertise]( [Learn more about the SmartBrief audience]( Subscriber Tools: [Manage Subscriptions]( [Update Your Profile]( [Unsubscribe]( [Send Feedback]( [Archive]( [Search]( Contact Us: Jobs Contact - jobhelp@smartbrief.com Advertising - [Laura Engel](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) Editor - [James daSilva](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2019 SmartBrief, Inc.® [Privacy Policy (updated May 25, 2018)]( | [Legal Information]( Â