6 ways to reengage and strengthen your middle managers

Make coming back to the office a not-to-miss event | practice (split each time) | 6 ways to reengage and strengthen your middle managers Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( March 6, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Make coming back to the office a not-to-miss event]( [Make coming back to the office a not-to-miss event]( (mathisworks/Getty Images) Motivate employees to return to the office by avoiding a one-size-fits-all policy, identifying ways to create more connection in person and bringing back unique events or features that employees enjoyed and looked forward to, writes author and leadership expert Michael Lee Stallard. Also, take care to offer flexibility and consider the needs of your neurodivergent team members by creating a psychologically safe office environment to increase engagement and productivity, writes Sarah Henson, a senior behavioral scientist at CoachHub. Full Story: [Michael Lee Stallard blog]( (3/4), [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (2/29) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Refrain from [subjecting your local employees to remote meetings]( from the office, Stallard advises, saving in-office requirements for truly face-to-face interactions. Educate your neurotypical team members on the needs of their neurodivergent peers so those times when everyone is in the office [feel safe and comfortable for everyone](, adds Henson. Transform your leadership expertise ASU's online faculty-led certificates in Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence in Business, and Supply Chain Management are designed to enhance leadership and business acumen from the top down. Custom programs are also available. [Join us!]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [6 ways to reengage and strengthen your middle managers]( [6 ways to reengage and strengthen your middle managers]( (Nuthawut Somsuk/Getty Images) Good middle managers can make or break your company, and it's important to cultivate, nurture and recognize them, writes Tammy Perkins, a chief people officer who has worked with Fortune 100 companies. Leaders can start by whittling away organizational bureaucracy, which middle managers say is the biggest impediment to getting more important tasks done well. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (3/5) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Give middle managers clarity of duties, a culture of belonging and the reason behind the whys. Help them grow with scenario-based learning, and [lead them with a collaborative spirit](, Perkins advises. [] [Read more]( from Tammy Perkins on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [Help teamwork thrive by avoiding these annoying phrases]( Few things crush team spirit and the will to achieve more than an unfortunate, collaboration-killing choice of words from a leader, write leadership consultants Karin Hurt and David Dye. Rush to button your lips before "That's a terrible idea!" slips out, and similarly, simmer down and take a breath before letting "We don't have time for this!" slip out, they urge. Full Story: [Let's Grow Leaders]( (3/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: "Let's agree to disagree" may seem agreeable, but it means shutting down communication and stifling collaboration, Hurt and Dye say. ["It's too late to change course now"]( ignores the possibility of savvy ideas for pivots and discourages team members. [] Which phrases have you used that may have hobbled collaboration? [Vote]( [Let's agree to disagree]( [Vote]( [It's too late to change course now]( [Vote]( [I've done my part, the rest is up to you]( [Vote]( [That's a terrible idea]( [Vote]( [We don't have time for this]( [Vote]( [Something else]( 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 A.I. A weekly spotlight on how A.I. is affecting leadership [] - [Where leaders need to start when charting their AI strategy]( Chief Executive (3/5) [] - [Using AI effectively will require deep business strategy changes]( McKinsey (3/4) [] - [Report: 85% of organizations invest in AI]( Security Magazine (3/4) [] In Their Own Words [] [CEO says indivisibility, not inclusion, is the goal]( Leaders must be at the forefront of change, discarding their own "beloved" stories and biases and committing to becoming "indivisible" -- seeking the fulfillment of everyone without regard to perceived differences, writes Denise Hamilton, the founder and CEO of WatchHerWork. "There is no 10-second solution for 10-generation problems. We must find and cultivate a well of patience and a commitment that can withstand challenges when they inevitably come," Hamilton writes. Full Story: [Next Big Idea Club Magazine]( (3/1) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [New tools bare some of star dune's secrets in Morocco]( New tools bare some of star dune's secrets in Morocco (Ucg/Getty Images) Luminescence dating methods have estimated the age of one of Earth's oldest star dunes for the first time, putting Morocco's Lala Lallia at 13,000 years old. Ground-penetrating radar also reveals that the dune is moving almost 49 centimeters west every year and shows how wind and rainfall deposited layers over 900 years until the pyramid reached a 73-meter height and a 700-meter width, researchers write in Scientific Reports. Full Story: [Popular Science]( (3/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Which song won an Oscar for Best Original Song for Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and also topped the Billboard 100 (with Nat King Cole's version) in 1950? [Vote]( ["The Christmas Song"]( [Vote]( ["Mona Lisa"]( [Vote]( ["Route 66"]( [Vote]( ["Unforgettable"]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew "Let's agree to disagree." How many times had I said this phrase, thinking that I was extending a fig leaf to whomever I was speaking to when I was just tired of arguing and wanted to move on. This is one of the phrases Karin Hurt and David Dye say kill collaboration and send a message to your team that you're not interested in hearing their ideas or perspective. How often have you used these phrases? - "It's too late to change course now" - "I've done my part, the rest is up to you" - "That's a terrible idea" - "We don't have time for this" If you've uttered them, it was probably because you wanted to move on or you were too frustrated to hear another point of view at that moment. Catch yourself next time, take a deep breath, and choose "phrases that promote an atmosphere of innovation, openness, and collaboration." Which phrases have you used? Please take the poll above and let me know. 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 [] [] If you want to stay young, you have to think young. Having a sense of wonder, a sense of humor, and a sense of curiosity -- these are my tonic. [Iris Apfel](, businessperson, interior designer, fashion icon 1921-2024 March is Women's History Month [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]( Copyright © 2024 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved. A division of Future US LLC Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.