What can we learn from 30 leading companies?

Learn to take notes well, and you'll be rewarded | You may admire Elon Musk, but don't try to mimic him | 3 ways to be proactive in the new year Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [Update Profile]( | [Web Version]( January 13, 2021 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [Learn to take notes well, and you'll be rewarded]( Taking notes can help you record your thoughts and remember more, but the structure of your note-taking can provide greater benefits down the road, writes Scott H. Young. "If you have the structure you're trying to build in mind, as you listen, however, you'll be much more likely to pay attention to what you're learning in a way that benefits you later," he writes. Full Story: [Scott H. Young]( (1/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [You may admire Elon Musk, but don't try to mimic him]( You may want the success of Elon Musk or other top CEOs, so try to emulate their best qualities while avoiding their more abrasive attributes, writes Theodore Kinni. Leaders set the tone, so you'll need to discover how your strengths and weaknesses affect your employees. Full Story: [Strategy+Business online (free registration)]( (1/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( File & Deliver 1099s and W-2s Online efile4Biz makes it easy to file and deliver 1099 and W-2 forms online. We offer comprehensive processing of tax information forms and electronic filing with the IRS and SSA. [Enter your data and we will process, print, mail, and file the forms for you](. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Video Insights on Leadership [] [] [3 ways to be proactive in the new year]( Leaders should be starting 2021 by looking to innovate, anticipate change and rethink everything from their office space to their mission, says Denise Lee Yohn in this [video]( and blog post. "Also, we need craft an optimistic vision of the future of our business and set realistic goals for everyone -- and then show how we plan to achieve them," she says. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (1/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Read more]( from Denise Lee Yohn on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Strategic Management [] [What can we learn from 30 leading companies?]( Forward-thinking companies have clear goals, can adapt quickly and seek innovation regardless of origin, according to an analysis of 30 top companies from McKinsey. One key highlighted by the research is that old ways of organizing people and hierarchies won't work today, nor will approaches that don't prioritize talent. Full Story: [McKinsey]( (1/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [Hear an unfamiliar name? Step up and learn it]( Mispronouncing someone's name, especially repeatedly, can be disrespectful and leave that person feeling "less valued," says University of Michigan assistant psychology professor Myles Durkee. In the workplace, ask people what name they go by, and keep a reminder of how they pronounce it if you need to, Durkee says. Full Story: [BBC (free registration)]( (1/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartPulse [] How strong are your coaching skills? Extremely: I'm great at helping people find their own solutions 16.94% Very: I do a solid job of helping others as their coach 53.71% Kind of: I can provide coaching in a limited set of situations 24.86% Not very: I'm not comfortable or effective coaching others 2.91% Not at all: I really have no idea how to be an effective coach 1.58% [] Help them find their own answers. It's easy to just tell people what the right answer is and how to do something. You already know the answer. Why "waste time" helping them figure it out on their own? Because it's a more sustainable approach and helps your team members grow. That enables you to grow as well. Learn the skills of a good coach if you're in the 30% of respondents who don't think you do a good job of coaching. Create a good coaching environment. Build trust. Listen actively. And most important: Ask great questions. Coaching is about helping them learn new ways to think and be able to generate their own solutions. After all, you won't always be there to provide the answer. Wouldn't it be nice if they could overcome challenges on their own? -- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of [thoughtLEADERS](, which includes TITAN-- the firm's e-learning platform. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a West Point graduate and author of three leadership books: ["One Piece of Paper,"]( ["Lead Inside the Box"]( and ["The Elegant Pitch."]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] POLL QUESTION: When you're overcome with too many priorities hitting you at once, what do you do? [Vote]( [Grab some coffee, stay late, and knock it all out at once]( [Vote]( [Push back and lower the priority of some items to regain focus]( [Vote]( [Avoid the issues until they become a crisis]( [Vote]( [Ask for help and get some things off your to-do list]( [Vote]( [Curl up in a ball and get overwhelmed by it all]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Aspen Institute exec: What drives business value?]( Leaders must enlarge their definition of business to include reputational issues, social responsibilities and a variety of stakeholders, says Aspen Institute Vice President Judy Samuelson. "Each of these challenges requires businesses at the table with clarity of purpose and long-term commitment to the health of the commons," she says. Full Story: [Next Big Idea Club Magazine]( (1/12) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Restaurant launches food into high altitudes]( British restaurant owner Niraj Gadher launched a samosa and wrap into the air with helium balloons, using a GoPro and GPS tracker to document the journey [by video](. The package soared high into the atmosphere and over the UK border into France, where the package was recovered, but not the food. Full Story: [Somerset Live (Yeovil, England)]( (1/11) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Help Spread the Word [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] I wouldn't ask anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself. Indra Nooyi, business executive [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