Study Target's mistakes to avoid becoming a target

Study Target's mistakes to avoid becoming a target | practice | 4 ways being a service leader can improve your workforce Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( June 21, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Study Target's mistakes to avoid becoming a target]( [Study Target's mistakes to avoid becoming a target]( A 2021 Take Pride merchandise display at a Target Store (Education Images/Getty Images) The backlash against Target and Bud Light over their support of the LGBTQ community could have been avoided had both companies been transparent about their intentions, had a strategy to anticipate and handle the pushback and stayed true to their commitment to diversity, writes Kellie Walenciak, the Global Head of Marketing and Communications for Televerde. "Staying true to core values, even in the face of backlash, is the key to maintaining a brand's integrity," Walenciak writes. Full Story: [Chief Executive]( (6/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Second guessing or trying to deny responsibility put both Bud Light and Target on the offensive when backlash began, [writes Walenciak](. "Timely acknowledgments and showing a willingness to correct missteps can be vital in retaining consumer trust," Walenciak notes. Looking Beyond the Hype of Generative AI ChatGPT, Bard and many other new tools promise revolutionary new ways of doing business, but you can't just give into hype, you need to strategize. Gain immediate applications on Monday, June 26 during The C-Suite's Guide to Generative AI masterclass. [Register Now >]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [4 ways being a service leader can improve your workforce]( [4 ways being a service leader can improve your workforce]( (10'000 Hours/Getty Images) Becoming a "service leader" by combining old and new management tactics can help you better lead your hybrid or remote workforce by being more proactive in your communication and offering many ways for them to connect and learn new skills, writes Mary E. Ignagni, the program director of the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. "Establish a firmer foundation for your leadership by setting up clear two-way expectations for quality, deadlines and communication," Ignagni writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (6/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Improve collaboration between remote or hybrid workers by holding frequent in-person sessions, asking your team what they need to succeed in their jobs and then providing training for areas that need improvement, [writes Ignagni](. [] Smarter Communication [] [Use this strategy to defuse passive-aggressive behavior]( Directly addressing passive-aggressive behavior such as snarky comments, backhanded compliments or sabotaging another team member's work, can help the offender see the damage they cause and perhaps show them a better way to ask for what they need, writes executive coach Karin Hurt. Hurt offers a strategy to identify if this is a pattern that needs addressing and what kind of questions and phrases to use to get to the root of the problem. Full Story: [Let's Grow Leaders]( (6/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Even though it may be tempting, do not directly accuse someone of being passive-aggressive,[Hurt writes](, because it will simply lead them to accuse you of the same. "Addressing the behavior calmly and directly can help defuse the conflict," Hurt notes. 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 [] - [6 ways leaders can leverage AI for their competitive advantage]( McKinsey (6/20) [] - [What Elon Musk's Twitter takeover can teach leaders about strategy]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (6/20) [] - [Case study explores how to successfully use antifragile governance]( Global Peter Drucker Forum (6/19) [] SmartPulse [] Have you been burned before by not having a contract with someone and relying on a handshake agreement instead? Not yet -- all my handshake agreements have gone well and without issue 38.39% Yes. The handshake agreement was a bad idea and I should have had a contract instead 61.61% [] Put it on paper. More than 60% of you report a "handshake agreement" going wrong and that you should have had a contract instead. Contracts in business relationships, even with friends and family, are a good idea. They lay out expectations clearly and specify accountability if things don't go well. Handshake agreements leave too much to memory and differing interpretations of what the deal is. While someone may feel insulted that you want a contract with them because they're a friend or family, that small moment of discomfort can help you avoid losing a relationship in the long run. If you're uncomfortable drafting the contract, ask the other party to put something together in writing so you can react to it. That will give them a feeling of control and comfort in that initial interaction and make it seem less like you're putting something over on them or don't trust them. -- 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]( [] How do you feel about your team members or colleagues having "side gigs"? [Vote]( [I'm totally fine with it as long as it doesn't impact their day to day work performance]( [Vote]( [I don't like it but I'll tolerate it as long as it doesn't impact performance]( [Vote]( [I'm strongly against it -- all their focus should be on their primary job]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Why leading requires a lot of "micro-courage"]( Author and former General Foods executive CB Bowman learned the value of "micro-courage" -- deciding to do something difficult and following through -- when her team asked her to be quiet during meetings to allow them to do their jobs better. "I had forgotten to listen and to ask questions. I realized that I was hurt inside from nobody listening to me as a black woman," Bowman recalls. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (6/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Why deer's snake snack wasn't all that unusual]( Viewers of a video of a [deer eating a snake]( that gained traction on Instagram expressed concern about the deer's food choice, but science backs up the herbivore's choice. Deer sometimes choose to eat an animal rather than plant because they have nutritional needs or are simply following instincts, say scientists. Full Story: [Live Science]( (6/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [6 ingredients for the secret sauce of employee retention]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [The 3 I's of leadership]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [The power of coaching in leadership]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Magic Johnson's success secret? Don't do any job halfway]( ThinkAdvisor (free registration) [] - [Develop these skills to walk leadership's tightrope]( Newsweek (tiered subscription model) [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Who was president when the War of 1812 pitting the US against Great Britain broke out? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [John Quincy Adams]( [Vote]( [Thomas Jefferson]( [Vote]( [James Madison]( [Vote]( [James Monroe]( [] Pets of SmartBrief Leaders [] Maya, the foster failure ... Maya, the foster failure ... (Matt Czyl) Matt Czyl sent in this adorable photo of Maya, who was rescued after being found abandoned near a dumpster. She came to Matt through Midwest Labrador Retriever Rescue and was skinny and malnourished -- weighing in at 7 pounds. "On the very first night with us, she jumped into my lap and nuzzled," Matt says. "It was right then we knew Maya would be a foster failure!" Maya is a mixture of 18 different breeds, according to the doggie DNA test, and loves meeting people and other dogs. "For those considering getting a dog, please rescue as opposed to a breeder. You won't regret it!" Matt says. What non-human companion rescues you during the workday or when you get home? [Send photos](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com)! [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew I recently had to address the passive-aggressive behavior of a friend who I felt was trying to manipulate me to get what they wanted. I admit, I did not stay as calm as I wanted to because I felt hurt that they would try to use this tactic to get what they wanted. I see the value in [Karin Hurt's advice]( to question your own motives as well as those of the person misbehaving. Happily, my friend handled the situation well, and did apologize, confirming Hurt's assertion: "For someone who doesn't have deeply ingrained passive-aggressive behaviors, shining a light on what happened is often all it takes to put a stop to it." How have you handled passive-agressive behavior, either in the workplace or among friends? [Tell me about it](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). 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 [] [] I like to take risks, and I want those risks to be larger than the confines of a structure that's simply meant to entertain. [Glenda Jackson](, actor, politician 1936-2023 [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