August, 2023

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Are Collaboration Tools Overwhelming Your Team?

Harvard Business Review

Today’s workers feel numbed by a fragmented, unpredictable, and overwhelming collection of collaboration tools — the very things advertised to boost their productivity. They know they’re overloaded and feel exhausted but believe there is little or nothing they can do to slow the onslaught of communication. The authors explored how collaboration technology bloat impacts employees and tried to help people take control over their work.

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4 Toxic Communication Styles To Avoid As a Leader

Lolly Daskal

When it comes to leadership communication it is important to be aware of your communication style and how it impacts your employees. There are four basic toxic communication styles and if you want to be a great leaders you need to avoid them at all cost: Passive Communication: Passive communication is characterized by a lack of assertion and a tendency to avoid confrontation.

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When a Success Formula Hardens

Michael McKinney

T HERE IS danger when success goes to a leader’s head. King Solomon wrote, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” When this happens, they are at risk for what Donald Sull calls in Revival of the Fittest , active inertia. He explains what happens: Managers get trapped by success, a condition that I call active inertia , or management’s tendency to respond to the most disruptive changes by accelerating activities that succeeded in the past.

Marketing 287
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How to Build Stability during Turbulence

Leadership Freak

My brain never leaps to the best thing that could happen. People usually jump to negative conclusions. Imagined catastrophes make stability unlikely.

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The Hidden Skills That Separate Good Leaders from Great Ones

Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC

Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult

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How To Optimize Your Support Strategy for Messaging Channels

Help Scout Leadership

It’s easy to add a new messaging support channel, but can your business deliver high-quality service through that channel at sufficient scale? Here are some ways in which you can make it happen.

Scaling 279
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Why CEOs at Mid-Size Firms Must Embrace Tech to Compete

Chief Outsiders

When you think about the tech you use in your business today, does this sound familiar: endless spreadsheets, confusing email chains, clunky legacy systems? Many times this happens because of concerns about the cost and complexity of trying new approaches.

Marketing 246

More Trending

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6 Magic Phrases to Inspire Leadership Respect

Lolly Daskal

As a leader, it’s important to earn the respect of your team. But how can you do that? One way is by using the right words and phrases that inspire respect and confidence in your leadership. Here are 6 magic phrases that leaders can use to inspire leadership respect: “What do you think?” – This phrase shows that you value the opinions and ideas of your team and that you are open to hearing their thoughts.

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LeadershipNow 140: August 2023 Compilation

Michael McKinney

Here are a selection of tweets from August 2023 that you will want to check out: 7 Ways to Welcome Constructive Feedback as a Leader by @RonEdmondson VIDEO: @ArtPetty interviews Bill Schaninger , co-author of Power to the Middle for The Experts channel What have you changed your mind about? (And if you haven’t, it could be time you need to!) by @suzimcalpine Ten Critical Keys For Designing a Creative Culture by @PhilCooke Fifty Something with More Gas Left in the Career Tank But Need a Change?

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3 Ways to Lead for Growth 

Leadership Freak

20 copies available!!

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16 Customer Service Tips to Never Forget

Help Scout Leadership

The best customer service tips can only come from world-class teams. Here are 16 tips for delighting your customers.

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Future of HR: Navigating Transformation in the Digital Age

Speaker: Jeremy York

Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of the rapidly evolving HR landscape as we examine how technological innovation, regulatory changes, talent strategies, and evolving diversity approaches are reshaping the profession. This webinar will provide HR professionals with practical insights on leveraging AI and emerging technologies while maintaining compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

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Wake Up to Possibility

Mark Sandborn

While waiting in the drive through line at Starbucks this morning, I noticed a man helping his small son out of the back of his SUV. When the little boy emerged, he was wearing a full astronaut suit, complete with the most realistic helmet complete with tinted visor I’ve ever seen. I gave the young astronaut a thumbs up, and his dad looked at me and shrugged, suggesting he had no idea what possessed his son to dress up like a space man today.

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3 Ways to Get the Rest That You Need to Succeed

Michael Hyatt

One of the most important lessons I have learned about productivity is this: It’s less about managing time and more about managing energy. Why? Because time is fixed, but our energy can flex. Most people get this exactly backward. They cram their day with tasks, thinking they can get it all done. Instead, they end […] The post 3 Ways to Get the Rest That You Need to Succeed appeared first on Full Focus.

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7 Ridiculous Reasons You Feel Like An Imposter At Work

Lolly Daskal

As a leader, it’s natural to have moments of self-doubt and insecurity. However, sometimes these feelings can escalate into what is known as imposter syndrome, a feeling of unworthiness or inadequacy despite evidence of success. If you’ve ever felt like an imposter at work, you’re not alone. In fact, research shows that imposter syndrome is common among high-achieving individuals.

Education 239
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Leading Thoughts for August 31, 2023

Michael McKinney

I DEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Associate Professor Tod Bolsinger on leading change: “Groups are hardwired to believe that survival usually means reinforcing the way things have always been. So when an organization feels stress, the default behavior of most organizational leaders is to solve the problems for our organizations rather than change our organizations for meeting the needs

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4 HR Priorities for 2025 to Supercharge Your Employee Experience

Speaker: Carolyn Clark and Miriam Connaughton

Forget predictions, let’s focus on priorities for the year and explore how to supercharge your employee experience. Join Miriam Connaughton and Carolyn Clark as they discuss key HR trends for 2025—and how to turn them into actionable strategies for your organization. In this dynamic webinar, our esteemed speakers will share expert insights and practical tips to help your employee experience adapt and thrive.

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Take the Next Step

Leadership Freak

The life you want won’t appear like a rabbit out of a hat. Magic won’t help. Just take the next step. Fear stands between you and the life you want.

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These 13 Stories of Remarkable Customer Service Will Put a Smile on Your Face

Help Scout Leadership

In a world where support is often thought of as a cost center, these remarkable customer service stories will remind you of its true potential.

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How to speak your team member’s language of appreciation (so your praise doesn’t miss the mark).

Suzi McAlpine

I was thrilled and honoured to get a sneak peak of Lauren Parson’s book Thriving Leaders Thriving Teams, and its full of practical pearls of wisdom for leaders. This topic really got me thinking so I’m delighted to have Lauren share an excerpt from her book and sprinkle your day with goodness in a book… The post How to speak your team member’s language of appreciation (so your praise doesn’t miss the mark). first appeared on Suzi McAlpine | The Art of Leadership.

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4 Ways to Make Daily Progress on Your Goals

Michael Hyatt

If you want to make progress on your goals, you’ll need to trade intensity for consistency. Follow these 4 steps to get moving today. The post 4 Ways to Make Daily Progress on Your Goals appeared first on Full Focus.

Accounts 214
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How to Make The Best Benefits Decisions for 2025's Workforce: An HR and Total Rewards Guide

Speaker: Kaitlin Ruby Carroll

Retaining top talent in 2025 means rethinking benefits. In a competitive job market, fertility benefits are more than just offerings - they are a commitment to your team’s well-being. Gain critical insights into the latest fertility benefits strategies that can help position your organization as an industry leader. Our expert will explore the unique advantages and challenges of each model, share success stories from top organizations, and offer practical strategies to make benefits decisions tha

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5 Reasons Why Gratitude Will Make You A Better Leader

Lolly Daskal

When it comes to leadership it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday tasks and responsibilities. However, as a leader, taking the time to practice gratitude can have a huge impact on your leadership skills and overall well-being. Here are five reasons why gratitude will make you a better leader. Gratitude improves your relationships: Expressing gratitude towards your team and colleagues can help improve relationships and create a more positive work environment.

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The Art of Clear Thinking

Michael McKinney

F IGHTER PILOTS must make thousands of decisions, often with incomplete information during each flight. U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and Chief of Training Systems Hasard Lee helped develop a program to boost pilots’ critical thinking skills and mental toughness to skew the odds in their favor when making these critical decisions. He passes the lessons learned on to us in The Art of Clear Thinking.

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When Solutions Create Problems

Leadership Freak

“The greatest intellectual discovery of this generation is that the real cause of problems is solutions.” Eric Sevareid. Overcome the danger of solutions: #1.

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Customer Service vs. Customer Experience: Explained

Help Scout Leadership

The terms customer service and customer experience are often confused or used interchangeably. They’re not the same thing, but they are related.

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The Diversity Reckoning: Can HR Survive Without New Perspectives?

Speaker: Jeremy York

2024 has tested every organization, and 2025 promises no less - the warning signs are everywhere. If you’re relying on superficial approaches to diversity, you might find yourself scrambling to catch up. Thought diversity - the fuel for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and disruptive innovation - is more than a buzzword. It's a survival strategy. And if you’re not building it into your workplace culture right now , you’re heading for trouble.

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The Ultimate Guide to Knowledge Base Management

Help Scout Leadership

Learn what a knowledge base is and discover how to plan, create, and deliver effective help center content to create better customer experiences.

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GPT-3 and AI in Customer Support

Help Scout Leadership

GPT-3 has been making news recently, so it’s worth taking a look to understand what it is and how it might help with customer support.

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6 Tips for How to Collaborate on Remote Design Teams

Help Scout Leadership

Remote designers face unique challenges and rewards. Here’s what we’ve found works for our distributed design team.

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5 Ways to Automate Support Without Degrading Service

Help Scout Leadership

Customer support automation can leave customers feeling underappreciated. Here are 5 ways to automate without degrading service quality.

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Recognition Powers High-Performance — If You Do it Right

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg

Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.

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How to Write with Substance

Help Scout Leadership

Clarity is the goal when writing to convey meaning to your reader.

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The Psychological Benefits of Writing

Help Scout Leadership

What are the psychological benefits of making writing a regular habit? We took a look at the research.

Benefits 263
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12 Customer Service Phrases to Use (+ 8 You Should Avoid)

Help Scout Leadership

Discover the 12 most useful customer service phrases for improving your support conversations, and learn which 8 common phrases you should avoid.

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Using ChatGPT for Customer Service

Help Scout Leadership

How ChatGPT — or other generative AI tools — can be used to help answer customer service queries and deliver better service. How good is ChatGPT and in what other ways could it be used in customer service situations?

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The Upskilling Advantage: Transforming Your Workforce For Future Growth

Speaker: Brian Richardson

With a staggering 92% of CEOs prioritizing skill development, and 84% struggling with transformation, mastering upskilling is now more critical than ever. Drawing on extensive research and collaboration with hundreds of leading organizations, discover key hurdles and innovative best practices in workforce upskilling. You'll walk away with a deep understanding of how to build a culture of continuous learning, expert insights into assessing the current skills of your employees, and a strategic too