Why you might not want to channel your inner Elon

Why you might not want to channel your inner Elon | practice | Be flexible with leadership styles to fit the situation Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( March 13, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Why you might not want to channel your inner Elon]( [Why you might not want to channel your inner Elon]( Musk (NurPhoto/Getty Images (photo illustration)) After watching Elon Musk ruthlessly cut jobs and demand "hard core" dedication from the remaining employees at Twitter since taking over last year, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says other Silicon Valley leaders are mulling whether to "unleash their own Elon," but Northwestern University professor Harry Kraemer warns against it, saying top talent "won't work for a company that treats them like garbage." Claremont McKenna College professor Ronald Riggio, concurs, saying, "The very best leaders are positive role models for their followers -- demonstrating positive and ethical behavior, and giving credit where credit is due." Full Story: [Insider]( (3/5), [Psychology Today]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: The most effective managers, Kraemer says, don't have to be ruthless because they realize that "employees are not just human capital. You're dealing with people's entire lives -- their families' lives." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Be flexible with leadership styles to fit the situation]( [Be flexible with leadership styles to fit the situation]( (klyaksun/Getty Images) Depending on the situation, leaders can rely on three different styles to help their direct reports, including directing them in what needs to be accomplished, discussing options in a give-and-take conversation or delegating tasks with clear goals and deadlines, writes Paul B. Thornton. Thornton outlines the drawbacks of each style and gives examples of when each should be used. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (3/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Each of the styles Thornton outlines have some drawbacks such as when a leader is too direct, fails to listen during a discussion or delegates too much work -- or not enough -- to some team members. [] Smarter Communication [] [How to keep remote collaboration from becoming chaotic]( Collaborating with colleagues remotely can descend into chaos if we fall prey to "attribution bias" that lead to faulty assumptions about others because we don't know them as well as if we were physically working together, says Catherine Cramton, emeritus professor of management at George Mason University School of Business. Giving others the benefit of the doubt and ensuring everyone is receiving all the information they need can improve remote collaboration, Cramton's research shows. Full Story: [George Mason University]( (3/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Providing teams with the ability to share their personal challenges with one another can go a long way to defusing "attribution bias," which can prevent our tendency "to leap to a negative assumption, and those are mostly wrong," Cramton says. 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"For my busy impatient brethren wary of pouring out pages, go with bullet journaling -- my minimalist template takes less than 2 minutes to complete," Reddy writes. Full Story: [YourTango]( (3/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [King Street Baking Co. promotes work-life balance]( King Street Baking Co. CEO and pastry chef Christina Guidera has built her Brooklyn, N.Y., business around a culture of support for her employees, most of whom are women, with perks including a four-day work week. "It's hard, especially for women, to plan for longevity in this industry. You should feel good about where you work," Guidera said. Full Story: [StarChefs]( (2/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Rihanna rewards seniors singing her song on TikTok]( [Rihanna rewards seniors singing her song on TikTok]( (TikTok) Rihanna sent a bouquet of white roses to some residents of a Kentucky senior living home who recreated the singer's half-time show song "Rude Boy," featuring 87-year-old Dora Martin, in a [TikTok video]( that's been viewed more than 30 million times. Jay-Z also sent 100 red roses, and the official NFL TikTok commented on the video, calling it, "Amazing." Full Story: [Complex online]( (3/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [ChatGPT is already replacing humans, so ethics matter]( CMSWire [] - [3 ways to quell conflict with a boss or team member]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Stress rusting you from the inside out? Here's what to do]( Glam [] - [Why you're probably botching employee recognition]( Fortune (tiered subscription model) [] - [Mind the gap -- women make little progress in pay equity]( The Hill [] SmartBrief Podcast Network [] [Modern Money SmartPod - Google Cloud]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] POLL QUESTION: On Sunday, most states sprung forward with daylight saving time. Which states don't observe it? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [Arizona, Rhode Island]( [Vote]( [Hawaii, Nebraska]( [Vote]( [Idaho, Rhode Island]( [Vote]( [Arizona, Hawaii]( [] A View from the Office [] Monday beauty break Monday beauty break (John Baldoni) Monday's photo is usually the view from someone's office, but today, let's take a beauty break and admire the artful handiwork of John Baldoni, a frequent Leadership Original contributor. Maybe you'll grab some sushi for lunch. [Show me your view from the office](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is making his mark on the world. His style certainly is over-the-top and has made him an icon in many ways. Not everyone is Elon Musk, though, and trying to emulate his leadership style may not be the best idea for other leaders. Instead, sticking with the tried and true leadership principles that treat employees as people with lives outside of the office instead of cogs in the corporate machine, may work best not just for the bottom line, but for humanity at large. I think Northwestern University professor Harry Kraemer [says it best](: "If you're going to have a successful company, you need good employees and good employees typically have options. They won't work for a company that treats them like garbage." 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:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. [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 [] [] The freedom to lead and plan your own life is frightening if you have never faced it before. [Betty Friedan](, writer, women's rights activist March is Women's History Month [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, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036