How to deal with energy vampires

Try office hours instead of an open-door policy | How to deal with energy vampires | Technology is now a key strategic component Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( December 18, 2019 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [Try office hours instead of an open-door policy]( Try office hours instead of an open-door policy (Pixabay) Open-door policies are less formal and productive than setting specific hours for employees to talk with you, whether office hours or special meetings, writes Liz Kislik. "If you consistently demonstrate reliability by getting back to people and dealing with the issues they bring you, you'll establish over time that your door is worth walking through when it's open," she writes. [Liz Kislik Associates]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How to deal with energy vampires]( Sometimes people bring low energy and engagement to a meeting, and it's up to the leader to acknowledge and explore that state without succumbing to it, writes Anese Cavanaugh. "The most important thing in this dynamic -- and what you have control of -- is your energy and that you stay clear on your intention of service and moving things forward," she writes. [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Strategic Management [] [Technology is now a key strategic component]( Digital technology is no longer a cost but an investment organizations must make to gain a strategic advantage, writes PwC US Vice Chairman Mohamed Kande. Leaders should look for ways to automate some of their functions, equip employees with new skills and improve how they collect and analyze data, he writes. [Strategy+Business online (free registration)]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [Be as clear as possible with employee feedback]( Be precise when correcting an employee's poor performance to avoid creating a "transparency illusion," write professors Michael Schaerer and Roderick Swaab in discussing [their research](. "Some managers may fear that communicating negative feedback will lead to interpersonal conflict, but it is entirely possible to deliver it in a clear and direct way while remaining respectful and considerate of an employee's wellbeing," they write. [INSEAD Knowledge]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Don't ask how internal communications "landed"]( Instead of focusing on how an internal communication "landed," ask what actions and outcomes were produced for employees, writes Rachel Miller. "Merely listing the number of stories published, page views or bottoms on seats at employee events does not tell me whether the intended efforts were realised," she writes. [All Things IC (UK)]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Holiday Buying Guides Recommended buying guides from T3 - [Best sony camera]( - [Best wake up light]( - [The 15 best board games 2019]( - [Best DSLR camera]( - [Best apple watch accessories]( [] Customers First A weekly look at serving customers better [] [Chief experience officers strive for better customer relationships]( The position of chief experience officers has become a common part of many leadership teams, as they allow companies to facilitate a more positive customer journey. The role can help ensure that companies compete on more than just price and differentiate themselves from rivals, according to Kurt Schroeder, chief experience officer for Avtex Solutions. [Forbes]( (12/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Reese Witherspoon: Don't "admire problems" -- change things]( Reese Witherspoon: Don't "admire problems" -- change things Witherspoon (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon, who has founded retail company Draper James and female-led production company Hello Sunshine, says empowering women in entertainment is her goal. "I don't want to just admire problems," she says, "and I certainly don't want to leave this business the same way that I found it." [The Hollywood Reporter]( (12/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [What memes went viral this decade?]( The short images and GIFs that make up memes blossomed this decade, with memorable characters such as [Grumpy Cat](, a condescending [Willy Wonka]( and Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilkins, who coined the phrase, ["ain't nobody got time for that!"]( This article offers 20 such memes in a slideshow. [Refinery29]( (12/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Editor's Note [] Did you vote in this week's poll? Did you vote in this week's poll? (SmartBrief) On Tuesdays, SmartBrief on Leadership's SmartPulse features poll questions and analysis from ThoughtLeaders managing director [Mike Figliuolo](. Did you vote in this week's poll: What does your budget look like going into the new year? If not, check out [Tuesday's email]( and look at the [voting so far](. We'll take a holiday break from SmartPulse and return Jan. 7 with these results and a new question. [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] And are we not all 'mere guests' upon this whirling earth? Lee Smith, writer [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: 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