If you want employees to change, change your story

These 4 "sins" will stymie employee growth | How to gain confidence in uncertain situations | Use behavior tools to improve strategic thinking Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( October 11, 2019 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [FORWARD](  [] Leading Edge [] [These 4 "sins" will stymie employee growth]( Leaders can avoid four "deadly sins" of employee development by making growth an ongoing process that focuses on improving performance, writes Julie Winkle Giulioni. Don't assume all employees are seeking a promotion or pay raise, she writes, because surveys have shown most people are simply "looking for ways to expand their skills and contributions." [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (10/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How to gain confidence in uncertain situations]( When little guidance is provided in a new job or situation, be sure you're clear on your manager's goals and ensure team members have what they need to succeed, writes Liz Kislik. "Strengthen your hand and minimize your missteps by thinking deeply and developing your own advice about how best to work with your team, your boss, and yourself," she writes. [Liz Kislik Associates]( (10/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Personal vs. corporate cards Many companies ask employees to use personal credit cards to pay for business expenses. But it's inconvenient for employees and can have negative business consequences. [Learn more in "Take the personal out of business travel".]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Strategic Management [] [Use behavior tools to improve strategic thinking]( Companies can use behavior tools to help employees develop resilience for risk-taking and strategic thinking, writes Michele Wucker. "By helping team members understand their preferences, the assessments confer a sense of control (even if it the feeling is sometimes illusory) that can make them more comfortable with whatever level of risk they assume," she writes. [Strategy+Business online (free registration)]( (10/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [GE continues the trend away from pensions]( Companies such as General Electric and Lockheed Martin are freezing or eliminating pension plans and focusing on 401(k) and other defined benefit models, with GE's freeze including retention benefits granted to executives. "Now, GE's decision to cut those supplementary benefits will mean that to keep top management, they're going to have to make it up somehow, either with higher cash compensation or maybe more stock," says Wharton Business School professor Olivia Mitchell. [Knowledge@Wharton]( (10/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( 5 reasons to Invest in mobile tools Today's employees demand the ability to move seamlessly in their professional lives - and they're comfortable using smartphones at work as well as at home. [Discover why giving your employees the mobile tools they seek makes sense.]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Smarter Communication [] [If you want employees to change, change your story]( Help employees make a needed change by telling a story about how the new direction will directly benefit them and improve their lives, writes Paul Smith. Acknowledge that there will be frustrations and problems along the way, but highlight the value of moving forward, he writes. [Let's Grow Leaders]( (10/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Living Get your mind and body right each Friday [] [Has work finally killed off family dinners?]( The pressures of work and other commitments have limited how much time people spend eating together, writes Amanda Mull. The proliferation of meal kits and Instant Pots shows we still crave the communal meal, she writes, but even the most dedicated dinner aficionado still must contend with limited time. [The Atlantic (tiered subscription model)]( (10/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Poo-Pourri founder: Ditch email to really communicate]( Suzy Batiz, founder of Poo-Pourri and Supernatural, says she has ditched email and encourages more face-to-face and authentic and open communication between employees. "When we're able to share what we're really feeling, we are more connected and we free up our energy so it can be used for the things we truly want to create," she says. [Thrive Global]( (10/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Binge-eating phenomenon reaches the US]( Videos of people eating massive amounts of food are gaining large followings on social media platforms, with some saying watching others eat has helped them lose weight. The "mukbang" phenomena began in South Korea and has reached US social media. [The Associated Press]( (10/3) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Editor's Note [] [What are you reading today?]( What are you reading today? Every Friday, we chat on Twitter about the books that are making a difference in our leadership journey. Please [respond to this tweet with your #FridayReads fave](! [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] Don't plan it all. Let life surprise you a little. Julia Alvarez, Dominican American poet, writer National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 [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](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) [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