What the Challenger disaster can teach leaders today

What the Challenger disaster can teach leaders today | practice (split each time) | 3 ways to make yourself, and your team, more efficient Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( January 30, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [What the Challenger disaster can teach leaders today]( [What the Challenger disaster can teach leaders today]( Space Shuttle Challenger crew in January of 1986. (Bettmann/Getty Images) Thirty-eight years after the tragedy that befell the Space Shuttle Challenger and its crew, leaders can still learn from NASA's missteps by identifying their core priorities, building diverse teams and trusting them to make wise decisions and avoid blind spots, writes Jennifer Lotito, the president and COO of (RED). "If your team all looks the same, has similar experiences and tendencies, you're putting yourself at greater risk of groupthink," Lotito concludes. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (1/27) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: NASA leaders lost sight of their overall commitment to safety and did not trust their teams, [who voiced concern]( about how cold temperatures would affect the craft, Lotito writes. "Without clear priorities, it's easy to get bogged down in distractions and overemphasize less important factors." [Are you creating the right products for your customers?]( We surveyed 700 C-suite executives and 5,000 consumers to find out the capabilities that made industry leaders stand out. Are you ahead or behind your peers? In 5 minutes, determine how you compare, your custom score, and recommendations to put you further ahead. [Learn More.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [3 ways to make yourself, and your team, more efficient]( [3 ways to make yourself, and your team, more efficient]( (Atomic62 Studio/Getty Images) Leaders can bring efficiency to their teams by breaking down big goals into manageable 21-day increments with a follow-up review of success and what needs adjusting to meet a team's capacity, writes executive coach Dave Coffaro. Ask yourself if you're working at optimal efficiency and how best to use your time to achieve your company's strategy and vision, Coffaro adds. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (1/29) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: When leaders align their actions -- and their teams -- with the organization's overall goal, they can [work more efficiently and effectively](, Coffaro notes. "Making our time count enhances productivity and demonstrates strategic leadership daily." [] [Read more]( from Dave Coffaro on SmartBrief on Leadership [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: [] Smarter Communication [] [Leaders who put the "I" in team are asking for trouble]( [Leaders who put the "I" in team are asking for trouble]( (Pixabay) Leaders who overuse "I," saying things like "I want" or "I expect," are crushing the success of their direct reports who want to feel like their efforts and collaboration matter, writes Steve Keating. Remedy this by using "we" or "you," actively listening to the needs of your team and empathizing with the feelings of those around you, Keating recommends. Full Story: [LeadToday]( (1/29) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Pay attention to how you speak to your team and [whether you're overusing "I"]( and watch your tone "to avoid sounding self-centered," Keating warns. "Balance your statements with a mix of inclusive language. It'll help keep you from sounding like a jerk." Featured Content Sponsored Content from Kellogg School of Management [Leading Is Tough. But You've Got This.]( Are you productive, or just busy? Are you delegating enough? Can less opinions be a virtue? Kellogg Insight's Insightful Leader newsletter offers weekly insights into these questions with advice from one of the world's leading business schools. Approachable. Curious. Straightforward. [Subscribe now »]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [A corporate strategy is good, but do your departments have their own?]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (1/26) [] - [How leadership must shift after a merger]( INSEAD Knowledge (1/29) [] - [An uncertain year requires specific HR strategies]( Human Resource Executive (1/26) [] In Their Own Words [] [CEO says build a flexible team that will work hard]( Watching her hospital administrator father make personal connections with everyone from the janitor on up instilled a sense of responsibility for people and their success in Jennifer Tejada, CEO of PagerDuty, who says she looks for team members who know how to adjust and work hard. "You need to be surrounded by people who embrace complexity and embrace problem-solving. Then you have to nourish your teams because crisis fatigue is real," Tejada says. Full Story: [LinkedIn]( (1/29) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Korean artist plays with food to create animal cuisine]( Korean artist Min Kyung-jin is mixing her love of food and animals by creating fish made from bok choy, a puppy created from heads of cabbage, a shaggy dog made of noodles complete with a black olive nose and a pink ribbon and even a hot dog that looks like a ... dog. Kyung-jin posts photos of her creations [on Instagram]( and has released a recipe book. Full Story: [My Modern Met]( (1/29) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] My friend Lafe Low (avid skier, he) would be happy to know that the first ski tow in the US was installed in Vermont in January 1934. How much would it cost him to get towed up Clinton Gilbert's Hill back then? [Vote]( [Free]( [Vote]( [$1]( [Vote]( [$2]( [Vote]( [$5]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew When the Challenger tragedy happened in 1986, I was working my second radio job at a small AM station in northeast Georgia. I had gone home at lunch to grab a bite and watched the disaster unfold on CNN as I attempted to eat my sandwich. The explosion of the shuttle was horrifying enough, but watching the faces of those in the crowd -- including family members of those onboard -- was heartbreaking. The reckoning for NASA and other government agencies over the next few years revealed the missteps that led to the tragedy, and [we can still glean valuable leadership lessons today](, as Jennifer Lotito notes. Where were you when the Challenger tragedy occurred? [Tell me](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 think things are changing, slowly. It's definitely better than it was 40 years ago for women and artists of color, but it's still not quite where we should be. 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