Are you unconsciously discouraging your team?

Doing leadership the old way? You may soon be extinct | Why connection starts with you | Read more from Alaina Love on SmartBrief on Leadership Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( March 1, 2022 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [Doing leadership the old way? You may soon be extinct]( Today's corporate executives are less often viewed as insiders or family and more as politicians who need to win over employees who are demanding transparency, empathy and humility from their leaders. "When I talk to a leader who says, 'I've been doing the same thing for 20 years and it's worked,' then I think, 'You're already behind,' " says Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management. Full Story: [Society for Human Resource Management (tiered subscription model)]( (2/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Why connection starts with you]( Leaders who have taken the safe route and avoided any possibility of failure or feedback will be ill-equipped to be effective team leaders, writes Alaina Love, CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting. "As a leader, your ability to help your team develop the self-knowledge required for future success often depends upon the degree to which you've already done your own work," Love writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (2/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Read more]( from Alaina Love on SmartBrief on Leadership Tired of biased news stories? Try 1440. The 1440 Daily Digest is a different way to read the news. No editorializing, no clickbait, just fact-based summaries of the biggest stories happening around the world—-delivered straight to your inbox in a 5-minute morning briefing. [Subscribe for free today](. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [What should companies do about Russia?]( Western companies and central banks are facing hard questions about their relationships with Russia since it invaded Ukraine, although there are clear economic risks in terms of inflation, supply shortages and Europe's energy supply. "Just like people didn't want their money invested in South Africa during apartheid, do you really want to have your money invested in Russia during Russia's brutal invasion and subjugation and carving up of Ukraine?" argues Fiona Hill, a longtime Russia expert who last served in the Trump administration. Full Story: [Fortune (tiered subscription model)]( (3/1), [Reuters]( (2/28), [Politico]( (2/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Don't discount the value of project managers]( Companies that confuse project managers as some kind of junior account management role are bound to become unbalanced, just as companies that devalue account managers will also struggle, writes David C. Baker based on surveys and personal interviews. Account managers and project managers have different strengths and tasks, and need to be valued on their own merits, Baker writes. Full Story: [David C. Baker]( (2/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( 2 in 3 employees are not prepared for retirement What is your company's solution? If the answer is your 401k plan provider, it's likely not meeting the full needs of your employee base. Access a holistic financial wellness solution that provides access to financial support and boosts existing benefit engagement. [Get in touch today.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [Are you unconsciously discouraging your team?]( Managers can discourage employees by not recognizing their efforts or not considering their ideas before making decisions, writes Dan Rockwell. Real encouragement consists of taking time to connect with employees and understanding that everyone -- from novice to expert -- wants to hear what they're doing well and how to improve, Rockwell writes. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (2/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our partners - [Get Hired Now!: How to Accelerate Your Job Search, Stand Out, and Land Your Next Great Opportunity]( - [The Best Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview]( - [The 80 Best Micro Habits to Change Your Life]( - [Tips & Tricks Guide - Leadership Skills]( - [8 Tricks to Boost Excel Productivity]( [] SmartPulse [] How rigid is your organization when it comes to managing work schedules and deadlines? Extremely: We plan out everything in great detail and rigorously stick to schedules 8.34% Very: We plan most things and place a lot of emphasis on schedules 43.23% Somewhat: We plan big, complex projects but not much else 30.73% Not very: We generally go with the flow except in rare cases 14.58% Not at all: We're totally winging it, and time is immaterial 3.12% [] Some plan, others ... not so much. While this poll is split almost 50/50 in terms of those who plan rigorously and those who are less structured, it's still instructive for both groups. For those who are planners, while your execution might be great, the risk you face is getting too attached to the plan and being inflexible especially when new issues or opportunities arise. To mitigate this risk, schedule regular "are we still making the right decision?" conversations or meetings. If the answer is "yes," proceed with the plan. If it's "no," it's time to consider a new plan. For those who don't plan, you might remain eminently flexible, but the risk is you wander aimlessly and meander through the market. Adding some planning rigor once you decide on a direction can improve momentum and results. -- 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: How much do you pay attention to the global economy and factor world events into your strategy? [Vote]( [Very much: It's a major area of focus and consideration for us]( [Vote]( [Somewhat: We'll assess major events and crises, but that's about it]( [Vote]( [Not much: We tend to focus regionally or locally and only on direct impacts]( [] In Their Own Words [] [How a corporate "North Star" can provide resilience]( Resiliency was key for Majid Al Futtaim during the worst of the pandemic because the company had already set its values-based "North Star," says CEO Alain Bejjani. "In my view, the whole notion of preparedness only goes so far; you will only truly know if you are resilient when you are getting shot at left, right, and center," Bejjani says. Full Story: [McKinsey]( (2/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [This company gives chopsticks a 2nd act]( Canadian startup ChopValue has recycled millions of chopsticks since 2016, turning them into bookcases, desks, cutting boards and other wooden items. "Once you see the volume, you think maybe that little humble chopstick can be the start of something big," founder Felix Bock says. Full Story: [Atlas Obscura]( (2/25) [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. Companies are making a lot of noise about divesting from Russia or suspending service from Russia, but they're ultimately guided by what's best for business. So, in short, we'll see. Not to mention, [divesting isn't so easy when there are sanctions](. If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. 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