Low productivity? You could be sitting on the cause

Companies need new ideas for the new normal | Today's leaders must be transformational | Why cities still matter for corporations Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 21, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [Companies need new ideas for the new normal]( Leaders should be empowering employees to share ideas during this time of crisis, writes John Baldoni, because there's no returning to "the old normal." "[W]hile we can mourn the loss of the old familiar, we can take heart that when people put their hearts and minds into something greater than themselves, good things can happen," he writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Today's leaders must be transformational]( CEOs have learned this year that their job is no longer just to manage business issues but to be transformational leaders who inspire employees "to higher levels of motivation and morality," writes AlixPartners Chief Talent Officer Ted Bililies, quoting historian James MacGregor Burns. "The silver lining, if there is one, is that disruption has caused us all to realize how much active leadership really matters," Bililies writes. Full Story: [Chief Executive online]( (9/15) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Webinar: Winter is Coming, Prepare Yourselves!! With cold & flu season merging into the pandemic, 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, some deployable in 4 days. [Watch the on-demand webinar now!]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [Why cities still matter for corporations]( US companies have long prioritized low costs in siting headquarters and production facilities, but today they want to be in the small number of metropolitan areas where young talent is concentrated, Richard Florida writes. Companies might respond to the increase in remote work by creating satellite offices, but Florida expects cities to remain attractive "because they offer higher pay, extensive professional networks, and deeper and thicker pools of potential friends and mates." Full Story: [Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model)]( (9/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [Kroger rethinks its media approach during the pandemic]( [Kroger rethinks its media approach during the pandemic]( (Kroger) Since the pandemic began, Kroger's communications team has hired an agency, created a guide to communications values and cultivated a wider list of media contacts, with executive Kristal Howard making sure reporters know she's available. "We have an employee-first model -- share with the employee first before the media," she says. Full Story: [PR Daily]( (9/15) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Does your team know what you expect of them?]( Leaders can help employees receive the right messaging through storytelling, listening to their reactions and being clear about what they're expected to do, writes LearnLoft CEO John Eades. "Great leaders not only set and maintain high standards for themselves and their team members, but they also communicate them all the time," he writes. Full Story: [BBN Times]( (9/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( SmartBrief Originals Sponsored content brought to you by SmartBrief - [6 ways human resources can increase workplace diversity]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [Why the path to student success is different for Gen Z]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [How to run an effective virtual meeting: Stop blaming Zoom!]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [Grocers, CPG producers take on a new era of safety concerns]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [4 keys to make online learning work]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [Low productivity? You could be sitting on the cause]( Low productivity? You could be sitting on the cause (Pixabay) Standard office chairs are a poor fit for many people in terms of seat height, armrest placement and lumbar support, and this discomfort can harm productivity, writes Alicia Furlan. She offers suggestions on making the best of an imperfect office chair, as well as how offices as a whole can adjust. Full Story: [Study Breaks]( (9/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Churchill wasn't afraid to give bad news]( Winston Churchill's wartime leadership relied on public speeches that were honest about the challenges even as he instilled hope and inspired action among the populace, says Churchill biographer Erik Larson. "For Churchill, it was very important to acknowledge that the public could take bad news, and that's how he proceeded," he says. Full Story: [Texas CEO Magazine]( (9/15) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Watch bemused customers buying computers in 1994]( Buying a computer in 1994 could be a confusing experience, with shoppers marveling at the technology while struggling to figure out what it all meant. David Hoffman, who worked at General Magic at the time, shares video of shoppers and store employees exploring the latest computers and printers. Full Story: [YouTube/David Hoffman]( (9/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [How to fix Eisenhower Matrix problems]( NOBL Academy [] - [7 easy ways to help everyone you meet feel important]( Leadership Freak [] - [How one leader protects his time and his inbox]( Substack [] - [How 50 one-on-one interviews helped a new leader]( Anna Shipman [] - [4 ways hard times can make you stronger]( SmartBrief/Leadership 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 always say 'Don't make plans, make options.' 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