6 ways to make customers feel like you care

Don't ignore your team's emotions, or your own | Embrace solitude to beat pandemic-induced loneliness | As Buffett turns 90, his financial wisdom has aged well Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 2, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading Edge [] [Don't ignore your team's emotions, or your own]( Give your employees and clients the space to grow while bringing your authentic self to every interaction to show how much you care, especially during this time of crisis, writes Robyn McLeod. "If we ignore or pretend that it's 'business as usual,' chances are that the emotions and realities will more likely get in our way or derail us," McLeod writes. Full Story: [Chatsworth Consulting Group]( (9/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Embrace solitude to beat pandemic-induced loneliness]( Find ways to meditate or refocus yourself on the present moment to combat some of the loneliness that the seclusion of the pandemic may be producing, write Darren Good and Christopher Lyddy. "We may wish we were at the office with our friends, but until the virus is defeated, our best friends may be whomever -- or perhaps, whatever -- we can see and hear right now," they write. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Webinar: Digital Transformation starts at the front With ever-changing local & national conditions, how can you ensure every location is set for success? Collected from Fortune 500 leaders WorkJam presents a best practice guide of easy to implement ideas for Frontline Digital Transformation. [Register for the webinar](. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [As Buffett turns 90, his financial wisdom has aged well]( Berkshire Hathaway founder and CEO Warren Buffett has proven, even in volatile times, that slow and steady can win the race in both investing and strategic management, Tim Koller writes. Buffett, who recently turned 90, "doesn't invest in opportunities in which he can't reasonably estimate future value," and instead seeks out businesses making money and lets them "stick to their knitting," writes Koller. Full Story: [McKinsey]( (8/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Insight about NBA players' choice not to take the court]( NBA players' recent three-day play stoppage amid the playoffs to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake highlights the taut balance between the power they have accrued and the degree to which that power comes from their time on the court, Noam Scheiber writes. "It shows the potential of athletic labor power and that's why they'll try to limit it by trying to co-opt it, contain it and declaw it," says expert Amira Rose Davis, referring to league executives. Full Story: [The New York Times (tiered subscription model)]( (8/29) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( What mental health at work means in 2020 Headspace for Work's 2020 mental health trends report reveals a gap between what employees want, and what their employers actually offer. Companies need to grasp now that people really do "bring their whole selves" to work—stress, anxiety, and all. [Get the report.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [5 ways to create a culture of communication]( Leaders can be communications role models for their managers by routinely checking in with them, sharing information and helping them come up with their own communication plans, writes David Grossman. "Work to build your leader's understanding that leadership and communication really can't be separated," he writes. Full Story: [LeaderCommunicator Blog]( (8/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( SmartBrief Originals Sponsored content brought to you by SmartBrief - [How to manage anxiety in 4 simple ways]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [4 keys to make online learning work]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [Report: Digital marketing agencies during COVID-19]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [How to run an effective virtual meeting: Stop blaming Zoom!]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [How to place more women in leadership positions]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [] Customers First A weekly look at serving customers better [] [6 ways to make customers feel like you care]( Show your customers you value them by learning about their wants and needs, being honest and transparent, rewarding their loyalty and owning up to mistakes, writes Gordon Tredgold. "Admitting to your mistakes is incredibly difficult, especially if you have a lot of eyes on you, but the temporary humiliation you'll face is much better than the loss of customer loyalty," he writes. Full Story: [Gordon Tredgold]( (9/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Why one fitness company expanded despite the pandemic]( Why one fitness company expanded despite the pandemic Schaller (Ina Fassbender/Getty Images) Acquiring Gold's Gym in the middle of a pandemic that has hurt the fitness industry is one of the bold moves Rainer Schaller, the CEO of RSG Group, prides himself on making after doing due diligence. "I am firmly convinced that rain will be followed by sunshine and that every crisis offers opportunities," he says. Full Story: [Forbes]( (8/30) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Message in a bottle unites US and Spanish families]( A family in Spain recently discovered a bottle in the ocean containing the ashes of a Kentucky man, along with a note and photo, that the man's widow had launched during a Florida vacation two years ago. Jerry Whitt's daughter Emilee says they talk with the family in Spain over video and that her father "would have absolutely loved that." Full Story: [WKYT-TV (Lexington, Ky.)]( (8/30) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. SmartBrief will donate $10 per new reader to organizations fighting for climate reform, women's rights, global health initiatives and more. [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] I didn't lose the gold. I won the silver. Michelle Kwan, figure skater, Olympic medalist [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004