"Quiet cutting" may save costs, but it will cost you trust

"Quiet cutting" may save costs, but it will cost you trust | practice | How many of your clients or customers are toxic? Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( November 14, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] ["Quiet cutting" may save costs, but it will cost you trust]( ["Quiet cutting" may save costs, but it will cost you trust]( (Planet One Images/Getty Images) Nearly a quarter of employers use "quiet cutting" -- reassigning employees in the hope that they'll quit -- to cut the cost of termination and ease reorganization and employee turnover, according to a Zetwerk survey, but the practice damages employee loyalty and trust. "When termination is necessary, being honest and straightforward with employees can mitigate negative impacts on morale and company reputation," says Madeline Weirman, creative strategist for Zetwerk. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (11/12) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: The Zetwerk data shows that 54% of employers found the practice of "quiet cutting" unethical, while around 70% favored transparency around the issue of termination. Meanwhile, most reassigned employees learned new skills, and some even earned raises and promotions, which Weirman says suggests "that quiet cutting often doesn't achieve the employers' intended results." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [How many of your clients or customers are toxic?]( [How many of your clients or customers are toxic?]( (Ihor Reshetniak/Getty Images) The unreasonable demander and the eternal complainer are two among many styles of toxic customers whom leaders must deal with regularly. Executive coach Naphtali Hoff writes that clients who make manipulative requests, push the boundaries on scope creep and drag their heels on payment can also affect morale and strain relationships, and recognizing them for what they are is an essential first step. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (11/13) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: [Toxic customers or clients]( can wreak havoc on companies by never being satisfied, having unrealistic expectations, violating boundaries and exhibiting other behaviors. Once you've recognized that they're toxic, it's important to [find ways to address the situation](. [] [Read more]( from Naphtali Hoff on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [Language barrier: Translating an in-person presentation]( If your audience speaks a different language, an interpreter alone isn't enough to keep it from being a flop, professional speaking coach Patricia Fripp writes, who shares a personal experience and glowing feedback conveyed again 12 years later. Among Fripp's many tips: Create a routine of speaking that flows well with the interpreter, and share your presentation and handouts ahead of time with the interpreter and leadership team so you can incorporate recommended changes. Full Story: [Patricia Fripp]( (11/9) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Learn to say welcome, if not other phrases, in the audience's language, and use simpler words and a clear, slower-than-usual voice. "[De-Americanize all [your] examples]( and remove the names of people, places, books, and companies they would not know," Fripp suggests. [] Smarter Strategy [] - [Use a motivation map to align differing leadership priorities]( McKinsey (11/13) [] - [How to close the gap between corporate purpose and mission]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (11/13) [] - [Take a more proactive approach to uncover practical ways to mitigate risk]( Bain & Co. (11/13) [] In Their Own Words [] [ESSENCE CEO on failure and leaving a leadership legacy]( [ESSENCE CEO on failure and leaving a leadership legacy]( Wanga (Paras Griffin/Getty Images) The key to success, especially for Black women, says Caroline Wanga, the president & CEO of ESSENCE Ventures, is to embrace failure, live authentically no matter the circumstance and clear the path for the next generation of leaders. "Make your change in the world and go build the next throne so the CEO after you can get to this throne -- you will become a living succession plan," Wanga says. Full Story: [Essence]( (11/10) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [OnePlus Photography Awards highlight cellphone images]( With the advanced technology of cellphone cameras, photographers can capture award-winning photos like the one of the Chinese New Year dragon dancers that won photographer Zhuowen Ao top honors in this year's OnePlus Photography Awards. Other winning images include stunning landscapes, night sky photos and a spinning Ferris wheel. Full Story: [My Modern Met]( (11/13) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] What's the life span of scorpions in the wild? [Vote]( [5 years]( [Vote]( [10 years]( [Vote]( [15 years]( [Vote]( [More than 20 years]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew We all complain about terrible customer service, but what can we do when the customers are awful? [Naphtali Huff outlines the toxic customers]( you may encounter, from the Manipulative Negotiator to the Never Satisfied. [He suggests some ways to handle]( irate or calculating customers. How have you handled toxic customers in the past? [Share your tips](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]( [X]( [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 view of the Earth from the Moon fascinated me -- a small disk, 240,000 miles away. It was hard to think that that little thing held so many problems, so many frustrations. [Frank Borman](, astronaut, aeronautical engineer, businessperson 1928-2023 [LinkedIn]( [X]( [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 Future]( SmartBrief, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036