How leaders can soften the blow of layoffs | Trouble finding qualified workers slows hiring | Bust these agile myths to build a strategically successful team
When layoffs happen, many former employees are flocking to social media to air their grievances, but Mita Mallick, the head of DEI at Carta, says leaders can avoid public shaming by holding in-person, respectful conversations with employees being let go, expressing gratitude for their work and following up with them a few weeks later. "If you reach out and they don't respond, give them the space and time they may need. Let them make the choice whether to stay in touch or not," Mallick advises. Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (2/5),Entrepreneur (2/6)
Recruiting & Retention
Trouble finding qualified workers slows hiring Just 14% of small-business owners say they plan to hire new employees over the next three months, according to data from the National Federation of Independent Business. Labor quality is one issue for companies that are looking to hire, and many say they have had few or no qualified applicants. Full Story: America's Small Business Network (2/7)
RD lists 10 healthful snacks low in added sugar Reducing the amount of added sugar in your diet to the recommended six teaspoons daily for women and nine teaspoons daily for men may lower your risk of chronic health conditions, according to registered dietitian Julie Upton, who lists 10 healthful low-sugar and sugar-free snacks. Dried fruit, Greek yogurt with fresh berries, dark chocolate and almond butter on whole-grain toast can be satisfying snacks minus the added sugar, Upton says. Full Story: U.S. News & World Report (2/11)
Benefits & Compensation
Report highlights Social Security claiming strategies In the case of a couple where the husband is a high earner and the wife does not have enough credits to qualify for Social Security on her own, the best strategy is for both to wait to file for full benefits at age 67, according to the publication "2024 Social Security & Medicare Facts." This strategy would provide the couple the highest lifetime benefit based on their life expectancies. Full Story: ThinkAdvisor (free registration) (2/9)
The HR Leader
Is your expertise ruining your presentations? Having a deep understanding of a subject may undermine your teaching effectiveness if you use long explanations, present information out of order or offer too many examples from personal experience, writes Justin Hale. Instead, Hale recommends keeping presentations simple, reading from your slides and ensuring your audience clearly understands the processes and concepts you're teaching them. Full Story: Crucial Learning (2/9)
When young people -- including my children -- come to me for advice on navigating their careers, my answer is always simple and straightforward. “Be coachable, be friendly -- but professional -- and get along with others, “ I say. “It’s not enough to have job skills; you must also demonstrate that you can work with other people.” Erik Barker touches on team interaction in today’s Leadership & Development story about building teams. He stresses the point that people on project teams should like each other. In fact, he weighs the social component as more important than brains. “Social skills, not average IQ, is what makes smart teams,” he writes. I agree. Managing a team has taught me that someone can be great at his or her craft but toxic when it comes to working with people. I can’t have that. No team can. Collaboration is the cornerstone of today’s business environment. The most effective collaborations come from people who are fluent in honesty and respect, and enjoy working with each other. With that said, though, I also agree with Barker that successful collaborations also need someone who is more “Wednesday Addams than Mary Poppins.” This person can be a bit surly -- like Mr. Wilson from Dennis the Menace -- but is smart, honest and doesn’t subscribe to groupthink. This person is critical; don't leave them on the bench. You need them in the game. They are committed to the success and integrity of the project. They will say the hard things. And we need that. What do you think? How important is it that folks on your teams enjoy working with each other? Does this help make your product and culture better? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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I think about what our country has kind of represented for Black artists having to at some point go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience. ... So I'm coming through the front door with this one.
Usher Raymond IV, singer, songwriter, dancer February is Black History Month
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