Steve Jobs on empowering smart employees | Initial jobless claims rise sharply due to Hurricane Helene | Overconfident brains think they know more than they do
Steve Jobs' perspective on leadership encourages hiring talented individuals to provide strategic guidance, underpinning the importance of decentralizing decision-making. Jobs proposed that leaders should utilize the expertise of their team to foster innovation and improve business outcomes. His advice suggests a shift from traditional top-down management to empowering employees, enhancing organizational agility and customer satisfaction.
US initial jobless claims increased by 33,000 to 258,000 last week, marking the highest level in over a year. The jump in claims is likely linked to Hurricane Helene's impact on states like Florida and the Carolinas. In total, about 1.86 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits, while the four-week average of claims increased by 6,750 to 231,000.
Employers are encouraged to implement SAFE leave policies, allowing employees to use accrued sick leave for safety-related issues such as domestic violence, without facing job insecurity. Deborah Hanus of Sparrow argues that SAFE leave is essential for employee support during crises and points out its current limited state adoption. She stresses the importance of raising awareness and reducing stigma to expand these protections.
Holly Walker, an HR professional, discusses the widely held misconceptions about the role of HR in businesses, which are often seen as non-revenue-generating and less impactful. Drawing parallels to the character Juicy from the play "Fat Ham," the article highlights HR's crucial functions, including talent acquisition and organizational development, which underpin business success and employee advancement.
While cassettes don't have quite the comeback story of vinyl, they're still growing in popularity -- but finding something to play them back on is another story.
Welcome to Friday Faves! Every Friday, I spotlight books, podcasts, email newsletters, documentaries or other content pieces that I enjoy. I also share suggestions that I get from you. Got a favorite for your peers? Send it to me. I may include it here for a future column.
Aloha dear readers!
As you know, I am a big fan of Ann Handley’s email newsletter,Total Annarchy. The twice-monthly newsletter is one of my must-reads. Written in Handley’s fun, spirited first-person voice, it includes advice about writing, ideas for marketing, and updates on interesting tools, resources and events.
“I’m not a writer, Kanoe. I’m a manager.” (or HR professional, business owner, department director, etc. Fill in the blank for yourself.)
I hear you. Just stay with me a bit longer.
Handley’s September 29 issue, ”What’s your writing process?” was important. It discussed folks using generative AI to craft a first draft and why we should not do this. Her argument is beautifully and elegantly presented.
“The first draft is the thinking draft,” Handley writes. “That's where you need to be fully present. On board. Just you and your glorious ideas….Protect the part of you that truly makes your content, your writing, your voice your own…Because otherwise and over time, your skills will atrophy. You will doubt yourself more. You will build a dependency.”
She also says we should write every day. “We know it strengthens our muscles and our craft. We know that the only way to grow our skills is to commit to the joy of a deliberate practice we're doing... just for fun. Not for ROI results,” Handley writes.
“Okay, but again, Kanoe. I’m not a writer or a journalist.”
Maybe not, but we all write. If you are managing teams or running an organization, you write. Memos. Emails. Proposals. Business plans. Marketing strategies. Presentations. Whitepapers. Briefs. Arguments. Advocacy materials. And a lot more.
And it would be easy to pass this off to ChatGPT. Don’t. Not yet. I encourage you to do as Handley advises: Write the first draft yourself. Use generative AI to help with ideas or collaboration or to find sources, but when you sit down to craft the message, do it yourself. Keep those writing muscles strong and sharp.
Because communication matters. Being able to convey ideas or a message or make an argument will always be important. Writing regularly ensures we continue to do that well.
Enjoy the long weekend folks. I'll see you here again Tuesday. Blessings!
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