What leaders can learn from the White Sox's troubles

What leaders can learn from the White Sox's troubles | practice (split each time) | Boost employee engagement to transform your workplace Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( October 1, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](   Leading the Way [] [What leaders can learn from the White Sox's troubles]( [What leaders can learn from the White Sox's troubles]( A Chicago White Sox fan hold up a 121 sign a game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 24, 2024 in Chicago. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images) The Chicago White Sox is major league baseball's worst team with 121 losses this season, breaking the record held by the 1962 New York Mets, but Michael Peregrine, a partner with the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, writes that the new record holds leadership lessons on effective oversight, business model management, adaptability and protecting stakeholders. "The White Sox' collapse has not only affected the players and the fans, but also the vendors and service employees around the ballpark whose livelihood depends upon healthy fan support," Peregrine writes. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (9/28) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Ensuring diverse opinions and investment in the business can also [help leaders escape the losing ways personified by the Chicago White Sox](, Peregrine writes. "The White Sox have been notorious for their insularity, an unwillingness to hire executives from outside the organization." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Boost employee engagement to transform your workplace]( [Boost employee engagement to transform your workplace]( (Coneyl Jay/Getty Images) Businesses must focus on employee engagement to gain a competitive advantage, writes Konstantinos Apostolopoulos, the founder and CEO of Fresh Biz Solutions, who recommends leaders work to ensure employees feel valued, connected, productive and supported. "Engaging leaders can turn a toxic and disengaged workplace into a thriving environment with higher levels of commitment and performance," Apostolopoulos writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/30) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Finding ways to engage employees by making them feel valued, supported and connected [can improve profits and retention](, writes Apostolopoulos. "Ultimately, it is the role of leadership to create the environment needed to harness the true power of engagement." [] Smarter Communication [] [Team member irritating you? Shift your focus]( If you're unable to remove an irritating team member, readjust your focus on their strengths and actively talk with them about those skills during one-on-ones and other meetings, asking them how they can maximize those strengths for the company, writes leadership coach Dan Rockwell. "Pour energy into potential. Support aspirations. Don't focus on flaws," Rockwell writes. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (9/30) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Think of three strengths that your most irritating team member (or members) possess [and bring them up for discussion often](, Rockwell advises. In public meetings, ask others to note the strengths of problematic team members as well and highlight how their talents can help the business improve. 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"As a leader, the hard part is that you need to foster this without implying that the company is a democracy -- that you're going to change course if one group of employees yells loud enough," Taylor notes. Full Story: [Strategy+Business]( (9/30) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Sour Patch Kids offers a work email "Sour Translator"]( [Sour Patch Kids offers a work email "Sour Translator"]( (VML/Facebook) Mondelez's Sour Patch Kids brand is playing on its "First they're sour; then they're sweet" tagline by giving Generation Z the ability to input seemingly sweet work emails into the "Sour Translator" to uncover their real meaning, and receive "sweet" promotional offers for the candy. A series of spots show the tool in action and the campaign is running across social, including influencer collaborations, out of home and retail media. Full Story: [Marketing Dive]( (9/25), [The Drum (free registration)]( (9/25) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBrief Podcast Network [] [US election looms large for green finance policies]( With an eye on the upcoming election, Suzanne Leta from Fluence discusses how politics could have an impact on policies that have pumped billions of dollars into the renewable energy industry. Leta highlights how bipartisan support for tax credits linked to domestic manufacturing might be enough to protect those funds. Meanwhile, Leta explains how tariffs linked to batteries are practically up to the discretion of whoever occupies the White House. Full Story: [Renewable Energy SmartPod]( (9/24) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] The "Thrilla in Manila" on Oct. 1, 1975, in which Muhammad Ali bested Joe Frazier in 14 rounds was the third fight between the boxing greats. Where did their first match take place? [Vote]( [Chicago]( [Vote]( [Las Vegas]( [Vote]( [New York]( [Vote]( [Zaire]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew (Photo credit: Lester Boykin) "Humans are messy," observes Dan Rockwell, and he's not wrong about that. Where we go wrong when we're dealing with messy, often irritating people is that we tend to focus on the exact things that irritate us. We focus on what we perceive as their weakness. [What if we turn that on its head? Rockwell asks](. Instead of focusing on the things that drive us up the wall about another person, why not focus on what they do well? It may frustrate us no end that a co-worker or team member is slow, but we recognize that, by taking their time, they turn out nearly flawless work. Maybe that meticulous nature is a strength that can be developed and harnessed for the good of everyone. I've often discovered, though, that whatever irritates me about someone else is usually a quality within myself that needs some attention. It may be true that there are some people we may not get along with, but if we soften our perspective about them, we may find some true strengths that can enhance not only our workplace but ourselves. Wishing for things to be one way when they are what they are can leave us feeling powerless, Rockwell notes. "Living in your power makes life better." 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. 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