Handling co-executives whose inactions hurt the company

Law firm partner turns anxiety into help for co-workers | practice | Handling co-executives whose inactions hurt the company Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( May 23, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [Law firm partner turns anxiety into help for co-workers]( Law firm partner turns anxiety into help for co-workers (Fiordaliso/Getty Images) After Simon Malko, the managing partner of a 200-lawyer Atlanta law firm, swallowed his hesitation and shared his mental health struggles and treatment success at a companywide meeting, the firm's senior managers rallied, hiring an on-site therapist who gives partners, associates and staff free, one-hour sessions. Malko was honest about his struggles, and his perseverance: "I wasn't raised to see a therapist [and] was 48 years old when I started, and it took me months to find one that I clicked with." Full Story: [Bloomberg Law]( (5/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Malko is hopeful more law firms and other companies will consider free, on-site therapy -- a more results-oriented approach to wellness than, say, a mediation room. "I think there's a strong business case for it. It helps with retention and signals that we care about people," [Malko says](. Does your organization offer adoption benefits? Your employer could be recognized by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as a Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace. This annual survey and recognition opportunity is open until August 4. All participants receive a free benchmark report. [Apply now.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Handling co-executives whose inactions hurt the company]( A seasoned executive discovered soon after settling in to a position that some of his C-suite colleagues had serious communication and follow-through problems that will be hard to address, writes Alaina Love, CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting. The executive has to recognize the realities and set a path forward, understanding that some leaders live in bubbles and are set in their ways and will require time to change, Love says. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (5/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Hiring an outside expert to assess the team takes pressure off all the executives, [Love suggests](. Using metrics to measure how successful new implementation plans are can keep the process from stalling.   [] Smarter Communication [] [What vulnerability at work looks like]( The oft-mentioned need for managers to be vulnerable is rooted in science, Harvard professor Jeff Polzer says, because when the leader goes first, it can trigger neurochemical hormones that make others see the manager as authentic and then want to help. Vulnerability, however, doesn't mean owning up to a decades-old slight; it's about showing your current vulnerability about existing struggles, experts say. Full Story: [The People Equation blog]( (5/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Take the lead on vulnerability with [opening lines such as](: "Yesterday's meeting was rough. Frankly, I wasn't prepared for the backlash. Does anybody want to talk through it with me?" and "I chose my words carelessly and hurt others by doing so. I'm really sorry." Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Nonverbal Communications Skills -- The 10 Skills You Need to Learn]( - [70+ Excel Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows (Free Cheat Sheet)]( - [Best Practices for Email Etiquette]( - [11 Habits That Will Give You A Complete And Successful Life]( - [Creating Positive Habits - The Ultimate Guide]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [How to be a leader: Fail. Look silly. Hear you're a bad leader. Rise above it]( University of Alabama at Birmingham (5/22) [] - [Strategies for bringing ALL stakeholders into the fold]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (5/22) [] - [Use fresh approach to change with multigenerational staff]( Newsweek (tiered subscription model) (5/17) [] In Their Own Words [] [Relating to others can ease stress, break down barriers]( A yearslong grudge between a young Larry Thornton and a business competitor finally melted, yielding to a fruitful friendship and mentoring relationship and a lot less angst and irritation, recalls Larry Thornton, author of "Why Not Win? A Reflection on a 50-year Journey From the Segregated South to America's Boardrooms -- and What It Teaches Us All." "[I]f each of us took 10% of the time we devote to work and shifted it to relationship building ... I think we'd reap impressive financial and emotional rewards," Thornton writes. Full Story: [thoughtLEADERS LLC]( (5/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Thief indicted 18 years after Dorothy's ruby shoes theft]( Thief indicted 18 years after Dorothy's ruby shoes theft One pair of the iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz." (Brian To/Getty Images) Dorothy's ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" appear to have traveled far beyond the yellow brick road after a man stole a pair worn by actress Judy Garland -- only one of four authentic pairs and now worth $3.5 million -- in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn. The FBI tracked down the shoes in 2018, but it took until 2023 for an indictment to be handed down. Full Story: [The Associated Press]( (5/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Secretary of State William Seward is historically notable for Seward's Folly, which resulted in the purchase of Alaska from which nation? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [Canada]( [Vote]( [China]( [Vote]( [The Inuit Nation]( [Vote]( [Russia]( [] About The Editor [] Diane Benson Harrington Diane Benson Harrington Harrington I've had some people lift me up throughout my career -- friends, colleagues, mentors -- and I've also worked with a few people who've preferred sabotage over service, plus an executive who chose inaction during that time. I'm a far better (and more successful) person due to the generous ones, but I've never been able to forget the viciousness of the others. That's partly why I'm impressed that Larry Thornton was able to create a friendship with someone who'd been determined to destroy him. Although I went public 35 years ago about my own mental health issues, I'm still in awe of Simon Malko's selfless move designed to lift others up. I hope many other businesses follow suit. [Reach out to me](mailto:diane.harrington@futurenet.com) if you have any feedback on today's SmartBrief on Leadership. -- Diane [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 [] [] They used to say that women couldn't wear long pants. Huh? Yes, we can, I wore mine. [Rita Lee](, singer, songwriter "Brazil's Queen of Rock" 1947-2023 [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