Retention starts with knowing what employees want most

Ask these 2 questions as a moral safeguard | Retention starts with knowing what employees want most | Why "un-learning" is the key to innovation Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( September 28, 2021 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading Edge [] [Ask these 2 questions as a moral safeguard]( You can judge the ethics of your own behavior by imagining what would happen if the media reported your actions or if a middle manager made the same decision, writes Martin Moore, founder of Your CEO Mentor. "If you'd react differently to someone else in the company doing something that you're about to do yourself, the contrast of those positions will be stark," he writes. Full Story: [Chief Executive]( (9/25) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Retention starts with knowing what employees want most]( Some employees leave because they want something more challenging, while others look for jobs that give them a sense of meaning and routine, and knowing the difference is crucial for retention, writes Alaina Love. "As you strive to retain your best people, creating opportunities for them to experience fulfillment through their work assignments is essential, but it must be done in a way that aligns with who they are," she writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/27) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Get your free investment handbooks for fiduciaries Practical advice, planning tools and best practice information. Whatever type of organization you're responsible for, we've designed a guide to help you develop (or improve) your investment governance and planning framework. [Get access now.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [Why "un-learning" is the key to innovation]( Companies are competing on mindsets and cultures today, which means strategy should be reimagined to include new business models, new growth channels and progress on diversity and sustainability, writes Terence Mauri. "What this means is that leaders must master the new logic of competition and unlock new ways of thinking, learning and un-learning," he writes. Full Story: [Thinkers50]( (9/25) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [How TED Talk techniques can help you]( TED Talks are famous for their storytelling, singular focus and compelling calls to action, and those tactics can similarly be inspiring in your meetings and presentations, writes John Millen. He outlines the structure for making any encounter more conversational and engaging. Full Story: [John Millen blog]( (9/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How to build trust while answering tough questions]( Never ignore tough questions from your team, writes David Grossman, who recommends transparency, dispelling disinformation and being authentic without being rude. "Your employees know the score, and your credibility (or lack of it) will be front and center in how you answer those tough questions," he writes. Full Story: [LeaderCommunicator Blog]( (9/27) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our partners - [Why Workers Are Calling BS on Leaders About Returning to the Office]( - [1,869 Leadership Quotes - Timeless Truths]( - [Google Chrome Quick Reference Guide]( - [101 Productivity Principles to Help You Work Less & Achieve More]( - [Free Guide: Practical Stress Busting Secrets]( [] SmartPulse [] How do you handle things when someone refuses to compromise and they harden their stance? I work around them. They're not changing, and I need to get things done 37.04% I offer more concessions to see if I can get them to move 4.40% I get other people to pressure them to change their stance 5.33% I accept their position and go work on more fruitful work 10.41% I try to empathize and understand their concerns so I can soften their stance 42.82% [] Avoid or empathize? When faced with someone who refuses to compromise, it seems respondents choose one of two options -- avoid the other person, or empathize and try to change their position. For those of you whose first instinct is to avoid the person and work around them, consider trying to understand their position and soften it. There's a reason they're dug in. It might be a risk or an issue that you're not considering and should be taken into account. If, however, they are clearly just being unreasonable and obstructionist, it's probably time to move on and work around them. For those of you who do have a bias toward empathizing and trying to bring someone along, do decide when you'll change approach and move forward rather than continue to delay your work. Sometimes all they're doing is stalling for time and deliberately slowing you down. -- 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: What is your biggest obstacle to delegating more of what you do? [Vote]( [No issues -- I'm great at delegating]( [Vote]( [I'm afraid they won't do the task correctly]( [Vote]( [I don't have the resources to delegate to]( [Vote]( [I don't have time to teach them the task. It's faster if I do it]( [Vote]( [I enjoy my work and don't want others to take it from me]( [Vote]( [Something else prevents me from delegating]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Why CEOs need wise counsel in difficult times]( Executives need trusted advisers to help them make difficult decisions, especially when trying to decide whether a strategy is worth keeping, says author and entrepreneur Dorie Clark. Such advisers "should be people that are supportive and want the best for you and should be knowledgeable about your field or industry, so they can give you helpful and relevant advice when you hit snags and need guidance," she says. Full Story: [Nir & Far blog]( (9/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Floating violin celebrates return of music to Venice]( Italian artist and woodworker Livio de Marchi has fashioned a floating violin that is nearly 40 feet long and 13 feet wide to celebrate the return of arts and music to Venice. Noah's Violin recently sailed during a city parade, carrying musicians playing Vivaldi. Full Story: [My Modern Metropolis]( (9/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] James daSilva James daSilva Hi, it's your SmartBrief on Leadership editor! Thank you for reading and subscribing. John Millen's article today about TED Talks reminds me of advice Stephanie Scotti gave SmartBrief readers in 2020 from [her experience as a TEDx coach](. John and Stephanie each remind us that TED's appeal is in the conversational approach and the focus on conveying one key idea or concept. If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or [send this link](. What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note.](mailto:jdasilva@smartbrief.com) [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 [] [] Is it worse to be scared than to be bored, that is the question. Gertrude Stein, writer [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