5 traits of leaders who can pivot when they need to "Agile" leadership, named after the software, involves always adapting, welcoming new things, and upgrading skills, writes Christina Lattimer, executive coach and founder of The People Development Magazine. Here are the principles and learnings from Agile Leadership. Full Story: People Development Network (4/17)
Develop the skills to say no at work Saying no at work is necessary for maintaining boundaries and preventing burnout, writes Tea Angelos, who wrote the book "Smart Moves: Simple Ways to Take Control of Your Life". Six scenarios in which it's appropriate to say no include if the task disrupts your actual responsibilities, the deadline is unachievable, you're on leave, you're being asked to do more than your fair share, you're being asked to do something unsafe or unethical, or you're not qualified to complete the task, Angelos writes. Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (4/18)
Self-confidence in a leader doesn't mean throwing your weight around but is more about "humility, respect and honest self-evaluation," executive coach Joel Garfinkle writes. Five ways to practice the right kind of self-confidence include embracing personal development and motivating others. Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (4/17)
The Landscape
Employee pay rising faster than inflation Pay gains among US employees are starting to outpace the rate of inflation, which could boost buying power and factor into potential new interest rate hikes, a Bureau of Labor Statistics report found. In the first quarter of this year, the median weekly earnings of full-time and salaried employees grew by 6.1% over the same period a year before, while inflation was 5.8%. Full Story: BNN Bloomberg (Canada) (4/18)
Salary expectations for new jobs hit record high The lowest offer American employees would accept to take a new job is an annual salary of $75,811, an all-time high, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The average offer acceptable to men is $88,900, in comparison to $63,100 for women. Full Story: Yahoo (4/18)
Job adverts that include details about relocation benefits increased nearly 75% in February in comparison to the same month in 2022, according to Indeed.com, as employers seek to bring workers back into offices. The relocation costs for new recruits average $72,000 for homeowners and $19,000 for renters, ARC Relocation says. Full Story: Fox Business (4/17)
Your Next Challenge
Write a "tough love note" to ease an uneasy conversation Putting the bare bones of difficult feedback in writing and providing it to the person 24 hours ahead of a chat gives both of you time to absorb the issue, avoid knee-jerk reactions and, ideally, defuse emotions, Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios, suggests. Writing it "lets the focus be on the problem -- not the instant reaction," and the follow-up meeting in person allows you to learn about any unknowns or blind spots you may have, VandeHei explains. Full Story: Axios (4/13)
Tax Day was yesterday, but the depths of space do not preclude our space-bound heroes from filing federal taxes. While filling from the International Space Station is "technically feasible" with an internet connection, NASA says it's a lot more practical for astronauts to file before going to space. Interestingly, astronauts can seek an extension on the deadline, which actually happened to one of the people involved with Apollo 13. However, it can get a little complicated if an astronaut is a dual citizen of the US and Canada. Full Story: Space (4/18)
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
What was the name of the first manned space station, which Russia launched on April 19, 1971? Check your answer here.
