Boss walking all over you? Time to "unboss" your company

Boss walking all over you? Time to "unboss" your company | practice (split each time) | Flex IT muscles to make "hyper-flex" work a reality Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( September 18, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](   Leading the Way [] [Boss walking all over you? Time to "unboss" your company]( [Boss walking all over you? Time to "unboss" your company]( (sefa ozel/Getty Images) Leaders who give their teams autonomy by "unbossing" their culture have seen productivity, engagement and well-being rise, writes Jenn Lim, the CEO of Delivering Happiness, who says it's a result of creating a sense of "what's in it for me," in their employees, which allows them to be authentic in their work. "If we want to sustain ourselves as companies, we need to sustain ourselves as human beings first," Lim notes. Full Story: [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (9/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Boost well-being and a sense of belonging in your teams through training and conversations [to raise awareness of the importance of mental health](, Lim writes. "Support open communication and feedback with psychological safety in place so employees feel heard, valued, and comfortable with speaking up and speaking out." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Flex IT muscles to make "hyper-flex" work a reality]( [Flex IT muscles to make "hyper-flex" work a reality]( (Morsa Images/Getty Images) Companies can use "hyper-flex" to boost engagement among remote and hybrid workers, writes Al Kingsley, who outlines the necessary steps for IT infrastructure to support working at odd hours and from any location. "The new hyper-flex reality is placing a heavy burden on already burdened IT teams, though, impacting IT teams like nothing else since the pandemic," Kingsley writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Companies should focus on server bandwidth, remote device management and robust tech support to help support hyper-flex workers. "The good news is that the companies that [get hyper-flex right will be unconstrained](, now and into the future," Kingsley writes. Never stop Learning. Sharpen skills. Build teams. Invest in your team or enhance your professional growth by registering for Vanderbilt Executive Education's Negotiation Skills for Managers or Navigating Organizations: The Managers Roadmap program. We equip you with the tools and skills to advance your career and achieve better outcomes. [Learn More.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [How to address suicide at work with sensitivity]( If a team member or leader dies by suicide, managers shouldn't offer unnecessary details, but they shouldn't avoid the topic altogether, writes Justin Joffe, who recommends managers provide resources for employees struggling with mental health. "During manager onboarding, this means training them to take protective measures during one-on-ones that acknowledge and show genuine concern for their report's mental health," Joffe writes. Full Story: [Ragan]( (9/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Managers should take the time to get to know their employees, Joffe writes, as well as assessing the level of support available from family and friends. [Managers should also offer Employee Assistance Program resources to help "destigmatize outreach](," Joffe writes. Featured Job Listings When you click or apply to one of these jobs through the link in our newsletter, we may receive an affiliate commission. - [Senior Manager Talent Acquisition at Broad River Retail (In-Person) - Fort Mill, SC]( - [Senior Product Marketing Manager at ZoomInfo (In-Person) - Bethesda, MD]( - [Senior Product Manager at ExaCare (In-Person) - New York, NY]( - [Physical Therapist - Clinic Director at ATI Physical Therapy (In-Person) - Birmingham, AL]( - [Project Financial Analyst at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits (In-Person) - Miramar, FL]( [] Smarter A.I. A weekly spotlight on how A.I. is affecting leadership [] - [How to implement generative AI safely]( CIO Dive (9/16) [] - [AI's growing role in detecting cyberthreats]( TechTarget (9/13) [] - [Meeting the challenge of AI's data overload]( The Wall Street Journal (9/11) [] In Their Own Words [] [Why leaders need to learn where their blind spots are]( Graduating high school in a class of 39 students taught Jane Elliott, chief human resources officer at NCR Voyix, the value of treating employees as a community, and working for a lousy manager taught her the importance of learning about your blind spots as a leader. "As a manager now, I make sure that everybody understands why we need to do XYZ because somebody might tell me why that's a bad idea or point out why it might not work," Elliot says. Full Story: [LinkedIn]( (9/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Study shows how cats seem to morph to fit tight spaces]( Study shows how cats seem to morph to fit tight spaces (Pixabay) If cats appear to be both a liquid and a solid, a new study suggests that cats' flexible bodies allow them to navigate tight spaces easily. Researchers explored body size awareness in cats and found that while felines hesitate at low openings, they confidently squeeze through narrow spaces, unlike dogs, which show awareness of both height and width. Full Story: [Science]( (9/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Liden, Sweden, has a museum dedicated to Joseph-Ignace Guillotin's eponymous invention. What year was the last execution by guillotine -- in France? [Vote]( [1899]( [Vote]( [1943]( [Vote]( [1977]( [Vote]( [1999]( [] Pets of SmartBrief Leaders [] Here's Piper, and she knows how it should be! Here's Piper, and she knows how it should be! (Jennifer R.) Jennifer R. sent in this photo of Piper, a 5-year-old Poodle, Jack Russell Terrier, Chinese Crested mix, whom Jennifer calls "the love of my life." Besides being a loving companion, Jennifer says Piper "has a big personality and her own ideas about how things should be (no need to call her stubborn 😊). Her favorite activities are chasing chipmunks (NO catching, though) and spending time with her grandparents." Thanks for sharing Piper with us, Jennifer! What non-human companions keep you company while you work or greet you when you get home? [Please share them with us](mailto:candace.chellew)! [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew (Photo credit: Lester Boykin) Leaders need to prioritize the mental health of their team members. Not only does it boost engagement, productivity and retention, it creates a healthy and open work environment where team members feel they can be who they are, which fosters a sense of belonging. Jenn Lim, the CEO of Delivering Happiness, [suggests "unbossing" your culture by giving employees more autonomy]( so they don't feel micromanaged or that they must send every decision up the chain of command. Unbossing means creating an environment where it's safe for employees to speak up when they have concerns. Team members should be clear on their duties, have the flexibility needed in their schedule and feel supported by their managers. Leaders must also provide resources for team members who may experience a mental health crisis, including offering employee assistance programs or referrals to professionals. Adjusting their workload and providing flexible leave policies can also be helpful. If the worst occurs, and someone dies by suicide, [Justin Joffe recommends offering all the support available to those affected by the loss without dwelling on details](. "Empowering all leaders to prioritize compassionate communication is one of the ways that our work helps change, and save, the lives of those around us," Joffe notes. 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 any feedback you'd like to share? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them. [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 [] [] Just remember, kids: when life gives you turned backs, start shaking hands! [Caterina Valente](, multilingual singer, guitarist, dancer, actor, entertainer 1931-2024 [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]( | [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.