How are you spending your time?

Don't ignore the voice within | Make everyone around you great by inspiring them | Existing data can help forecast new products Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( March 13, 2017 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Google+]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [FORWARD]( [] Leading Edge [] [Don't ignore the voice within]( [Don't ignore the voice within]( (YouTube/John Baldoni) Leaders should learn to trust their inner voice when it comes to making decisions, especially when they aren't certain, John Baldoni says in this blog post and [video](. "On the other hand, spur-of-the-moment decisions can be disastrous," he says. [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] [Make everyone around you great by inspiring them]( Talent and achievement are more often a reflection of passion, dedication and practice than they are of natural ability, writes Bill Hester. The same sort of dedication and commitment is required for leaders to inspire and develop their employees, he argues. [DDI]( (3/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( Earn a Certificate in Leadership from UVA—Online. Gain a high-quality education from the University of Virginia, one of the nation's top universities. Designed for working professionals, our certificates are affordable, convenient, and employer-recognized. Courses are taught by leaders in the field who are ready to help you gain the practical skills sought after in today's competitive job market. [Learn More]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Strategic Management [] [Existing data can help forecast new products]( Companies can struggle to predict supply and demand for new products to the best of their ability, but researchers working with Dell found historical data from similar but not identical products can improve forecasting. "Using historical data of predecessors, our methodology will suggest the most appropriate shape of the life cycle curve for a new product in a particular business," said Jan Van Mieghem of the Kellogg School of Management. [Kellogg Insight]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] [Cutting costs doesn't have to be a negative exercise]( Companies ought to view cost-cutting initiatives as a way to assess and bolster strategy, write Paul Leinwand and Vinay Couto. "In a true 'ownership culture,' cost-consciousness becomes an organizational capability and a shared mindset, rather than a bunch of rules that are resented and resisted," they write. [Harvard Business Review online (tiered subscription model)]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [Don't call a moral wrong a mistake]( Making mistakes and committing wrongs are not the same, with one potentially leading to learning and development and the other signifying moral or ethical failings, writes Scott Cochrane. "The difference sounds minor, but the implications are significant," he writes. [A Leader's Journey blog]( (3/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [How are you spending your time?]( How are you spending your time? (Pixabay) Consider color-coding your day-to-day tasks on a calendar to see whether you're spending your time on goal-oriented activities, writes Ken Goldstein. "If you don't have any goals, that's a much bigger problem which you need to solve before this post will be relevant to your progress," he notes. [CorporateIntel]( (3/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [SAP SuccessFactors president: "Purpose is everything"]( Mike Ettling, president of SAP SuccessFactors, says that people are more likely to trust and follow leaders who are genuine and have purpose in what they do. "The best leaders are the ones who can really be authentic, and you have to take your heart out and put it on your sleeve," he says. [The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers)]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [You don't need an Olympic regimen to complete a marathon]( You don't need an Olympic regimen to complete a marathon (Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images) If you're going to run a marathon and are not looking to finish with an Olympic-qualifying time, it's OK to not fret about every last training detail, writes Martin Fritz Huber. Steady, long runs are more important than track work or emulating professionals' workouts, and racing shoes should be a reward down the road, not a first purchase. [Outside Magazine online]( (3/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [] [] Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. Steve Jobs, entrepreneur [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google+]( [Email]( [Sign Up]( [SmartBrief offers 200+ newsletters]( [Advertise]( [Learn more about the SmartBrief audience]( Subscriber Tools: [Manage Subscriptions]( [Update Your Profile]( [Unsubscribe]( [Send Feedback]( [Archive]( [Search]( Contact Us: Jobs Contact - jobhelp@smartbrief.com Advertising - [Laura Thompson](mailto:lthompson@smartbrief.com) Editor - [James daSilva](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2017 SmartBrief, Inc.® [Privacy policy]( | [Legal Information]( Â