Be flexible to get employees excited about the office

Be flexible to get employees excited about the office | practice | Continual learning allows for better performance Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( September 6, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [Be flexible to get employees excited about the office]( [Be flexible to get employees excited about the office]( (Pixabay) Entice your team back into the office by offering flexible schedules that account for "the realities of employees' individual situations" and underscore the advantage of face-to-face collaboration, learning and mentoring, writes Liz Kislik. "Organizations and employees are getting more accustomed to the idea that not everyone has to be on the same lockstep schedule throughout the entire organization and across disparate jobs," Kislik writes. Full Story: [Liz Kislik Associates]( (9/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Reevaluate the need for in-person meetings and review how you measure the productivity of team members you see infrequently, including checklists to help them meet goals, [Kislik writes](. "As a leader, your commitment to supporting them in accomplishing their outcomes is an important way to stay deeply engaged." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Continual learning allows for better performance]( [Continual learning allows for better performance]( (We Are/Getty Images) To drive a culture of growth, leaders must focus on the Learning Zone, which "equips world-class performers to execute masterfully in their Performance Zone," writes Eduardo Briceno, a TEDx speaker and author of "The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset Into Action." "Fixating solely on performing can hurt our performance -- that's what I call the performance paradox," Briceno explains. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: To promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, leaders must create systems and habits that make learning part of the way their teams operate. [Be bold and obvious in your own learning]( to set an example and reiterate that learning is necessary for the organization to move forward, Briceno says. [] Smarter Communication [] [Your active listening fosters team's active listening]( Active listening can be learned and involves four specific skills: receiving, appreciating, summarizing and asking, David Burkus, a leadership expert and author, writes. Using and improving these skills not only helps you but helps your team emulate this style of listening and communicating, which "fosters better collaboration and problem-solving," Burkus writes. Full Story: [David Burkus]( (9/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: [Listen without interrupting]( to let team members convey their thoughts their own way. Use "gestures, nods and verbal cues" to show appreciation and support, Burkus recommends. Ask questions rather than shifting to advice to show better engagement and learn more. 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 A.I. A weekly spotlight on how A.I. is affecting leadership [] - [Experts discuss the pros and cons of using AI in business]( London Business School (8/31) [] - [Will companies use AI to diminish employees to mere statistics?]( National Public Radio (8/30) [] - [Set guidelines for AI use to keep from frustrating your team]( InfoWorld (9/4) [] In Their Own Words [] [What this CEO learned coaching his kids in sports]( Spending time coaching his kids sports teams taught Mark Steffe, president and CEO of First Command Financial Services Inc., how best to coach his employees, especially when they're facing challenges. "If you have people who aren't performing to their fullest, don't just tell them to do better; roll up your sleeves and work with them to help them understand how to do better," Steffe says. Full Story: [Texas CEO Magazine]( (9/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Need a short cut to make work easier? Don't do this]( Need a short cut to make work easier? Don't do this Part of the Great Wall in China's Shanxi province on Sept. 2, 2023. (Cfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images) A 55-year-old woman and 38-year-old man determined to shorten the distance their construction equipment would have to travel used an excavator to break through a nearly 1,000-year-old Ming Dynasty portion of the 32nd Great Wall in China's Shanxi province. The UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the [seven wonders of the world]( has been "damaged beyond repair," China Daily reports. Full Story: [United Press International]( (9/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] What period listed here is recognized to have had the longest staying power, by years? [Vote]( [France's Reign of Terror]( [Vote]( [Hundred Years' War]( [Vote]( [War of the Roses]( [Vote]( [Classical music's Renaissance period]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew I got into a political discussion earlier this week, and I wish I had read [David Burkus' article on active listening]( before this encounter. I used to argue politics all the time until I realized I valued relationships over opinions. For some reason, this conversation hit me the wrong way, and I was right back into "arguing to be right" instead of taking time to listen to my conversation partner's thoughts and ideas. Active listening is not an easy skill to master. It requires us to put our ego aside and deeply listen to what another person is saying. I admit I was triggered and could not hear at the moment. Still, as the conversation progressed, I finally got to the instruction to get curious and began asking more probing questions then genuinely listening to the answer. The conversation ended well, with a friendship still intact, so that's some success. How well are you at active listening, especially in conversations that can be triggering? [Tell me your techniques](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 [] [] Authors do not supply imaginations, they expect their readers to have their own, and to use it. [Nella Larsen](, 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, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036