Can these simple tweaks make you a better team player?

Is your culture a high-performance car or a jalopy? | practice | Can these simple tweaks make you a better team player? Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( December 5, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Is your culture a high-performance car or a jalopy?]( [Is your culture a high-performance car or a jalopy?]( Ferrari F8 Tributo (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images) Like a Ferrari, or other high-performance car, company culture should be built with an eye toward accelerated performance and driven by experts who can handle even the trickiest of market turns, writes Hugh Blane, president of Claris Consulting. "In today's world of hyper connectivity and access to information in seconds, traveling thirty-five miles an hour will leave you obsolete and irrelevant," Blane writes. Full Story: [ThoughtLeaders]( (12/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: A high-performance culture is one where employees are dedicated to its success, but [it must also thrill customers](, Blane writes. "You cannot take a stock minivan to the racetrack and expect to be competitive." [Supporting pet ownership = happier employees]( Attracting, retaining and engaging quality employees of all generations are three leading challenges that companies face in today's employment landscape. Luckily, supporting pet-owning employees improves their work experience—and positively affects these key metrics for employers. [Find out more.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Can these simple tweaks make you a better team player?]( [Can these simple tweaks make you a better team player?]( (Compassionate Eye Foundation/David Oxberry/Getty Images) Putting up a shield isn't necessary to protect yourself at work -- but managing your reactions is, leadership consultant Marlene Chism asserts. Help make the environment more collaborative by noticing your triggers, pressing pause, harnessing the narrative and exploring valid concerns, Chism advises. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Recognizing your triggers can help you prepare for potential situations. Acknowledging a comment with ["Let me think about how to apply this feedback"]( can kneecap your knee-jerk reaction, buy time and keep the mood collegial, Chism writes. [] [Read more]( from Marlene Chism on SmartBrief on Leadership [Find a Silver Lining: The Retirement Income Issue]( While the retirement income discussion is mostly around products, putting the focus on plan design could be a silver lining. [Find out more.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [How to turn conflict from a liability into a tool]( "Conflict is the friction needed in relationships and organizations" to keep us from getting stuck and "to move things forward," says Lisa Danels, author of "The Human Edge Advantage: Mastering the Art of Being All In." Addressing it in real time rather than letting it steam is key, adds Optima Office CEO Jennifer Barnes, and the pair offer four ways to make conflict work for you. Full Story: [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (12/1) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Prepare for a conversation on a conflict with five key investigatory questions, and then ensure you're coming from a positive mindset before approaching the other person. Be insistent yet polite about having the conversation, ask questions that don't start with "why?" and [ensure equal understanding]( before embarking on a resolution, Danels and Barnes say. Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [The Communication Process: Skills to achieve desired outcomes]( - [Microsoft Excel: Unlocking the Power of Spreadsheets]( - [The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2023 - Part 1]( - [ChatGPT Newbie: Your Essential Handbook for Navigating ChatGPT]( - [The Visual You - Why Body Language Matters When You Speak]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [5 ways the "Next Management" movement will affect leadership]( Forbes (tiered subscription model) (12/3) [] - [Expand your mental models with advice from Charlie Munger]( John Millen blog (12/2) [] - [Finding the strategic silver lining in a tough economy]( Forbes (tiered subscription model) (12/1) [] SmartPulse [] What is the biggest challenge you have when managing a high performer? Resisting the urge to manage them too closely 6.74% Giving them challenging assignments 14.75% Setting realistic expectations for their advancement 33.01% Taking on more challenging work myself so they have room to grow 3.20% Preventing them from taking on too much work 25.96% Managing the rest of the team to keep them motivated 16.34% [] Balancing challenge and aggressiveness. This poll is interesting in that it shows a dichotomy of giving high performers challenging assignments (15%) while at the same time preventing them from taking on too much work (26%) and helping them understand what their real trajectory is for advancement (33%). There's also a nod to remembering you have other team members you have to keep motivated (16%). Based on all this, it seems the best approach with these high performers is having honest and direct conversations about the work they should or should not take on and helping them understand where "the bar" is for advancement. Without that kind of candor, they can become frustrated or burn themselves out (or both). Ask them what their expectations are and manage them candidly. -- 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]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] How do you handle team members who ask for too many resources? [Vote]( [I tell them "we'll see" so I don't have to say "no"]( [Vote]( [I say "no" directly and explain why]( [Vote]( [I tell them what conditions they have to meet to earn those resources]( [Vote]( [I ignore the request and hope it goes away]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Nooyi: Why you need a deep bench of leadership mentors]( [Nooyi: Why you need a deep bench of leadership mentors]( Nooyi (Marla Aufmuth/Getty Images) Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo's former chairman and CEO, says the best way to "earn the stripes to be a leader" is by surrounding yourself with mentors who can help advance your career and reveal your growing edge. "It's not just the old CEO group that can support you. Your network might have people much younger than you, and they're the ones who can tell you what you need to learn," Nooyi notes. Full Story: [Morgan Stanley]( (11/2023) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [From Jedi to lightsaber, "Star Wars" changed our speech]( [From Jedi to lightsaber, "Star Wars" changed our speech]( (LucasFilm) Forty-six years ago, no one would know what a lightsaber was or what it meant to "go to the dark side," let alone recognize the name Yoda or what a Jedi was, but researchers say terms from the "Star Wars" movies have transformed the English language, providing colorful metaphors and similes. For example, the research shows that between 1990 and 2015, "Jedi" was used more than four times per million words in the Corpus of Contemporary English. Full Story: [Space]( (12/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] A Patek Philippe watch once owned by China's "Last Emperor," Puyi, last sold at auction for more than $6 million. How old was Puyi when he ascended the throne? [Vote]( [2]( [Vote]( [26]( [Vote]( [45]( [Vote]( [82]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew Creating a high-performance culture that excites your teams and your customers is vital to surviving in this fast-paced time of change and unrest, [writes Hugh Blane](. One of the best ways to do that is to improve collaboration by working on your own trigger points, [as Marlene Chism advises](. Getting better at handling conflict and turning potentially harmful situations into positive growth is also a skill leaders must hone, [according to Lisa Danels and Jennifer Barnes](. That is a tall order; top-notch cultures don't appear overnight. They result from consistent, dedicated work by leaders who know they want the agility needed to handle whatever their industry throws at them next. How are you building your Ferrari culture? [Let me know](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 [] [] I pray this winter be gentle and kind -- a season of rest from the wheel of the mind. [John Geddes](, writer [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