Most Clicked SmartBrief on Leadership Stories
1. How a former pinup girl outsells Martha Stewart
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 10, 2012
Former supermodel Kathy Ireland has built a family-focused retail empire worth $2 billion a year. Selling everything from socks to carpet tiles, Ireland has a reputation as a smart, passionate businesswoman with a strong sense of how best to leverage her personal brand. "She’s the girl next door who happens to be beautiful," says marketer John Moretz. "That forms an emotional bond with the consumer." Forbes (02/08)
2. Being bad at managing doesn't mean you can't lead
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 13, 2012
You can be a lousy manager and still be a great leader, says Tim Bucher, founder and CEO of TastingRoom.com. That's because managers must be detail-oriented, while leaders should focus on providing vision and direction. "Management is about doing things right -- dotting the I's, crossing the T's, giving reviews, doing all the HR stuff," Bucher explains. "But leadership is about doing the right thing. And it's very different." New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (02/11)
3. Shouldn't you be in a meeting?
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 15, 2012
CEOs typically spend 18 hours a week trapped in meetings, according to a detailed study of 65 chiefs' schedules by researchers at the London School of Economics and Harvard Business School. That's three times as long as bosses spend working alone, and meeting time increases dramatically as CEOs acquire more direct reports. "While you are sitting in a meeting, your competition is getting stuff done," warns SuccessFactors CEO Lars Dalgaard. Wall Street Journal, The (02/14)
4. Is your cat harboring an evil puppet master?
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 10, 2012
A tiny parasite that lives and breeds inside cats might cause reckless behavior, trigger mental disorders and even distort the fashion sense of some pet owners. The bug has evolved to infect small mammals that come in contact with cat excrement, inducing risk-taking behaviors that make the animals more likely to be eaten by other cats. Some scientists believe the parasite could also tweak human behavior, making its victims more attracted to cats and less concerned about a range of environmental threats. Atlantic, The (03/2012)
5. How to build a smarter organization
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 14, 2012
Companies need to foster "smart thinking" among their workers to cope with the changing nature of doing business, writes Art Markman. That means encouraging focus and transparency, and not dumbing down your internal communications. "Gaining true understanding of complex situations requires effort. ... If there is something that people need to understand, encourage everyone to dig in and work on it," Markman writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (02/13)
6. Proof that CEOs love their dogs
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 15, 2012
Many CEOs are crazy about dogs, and over the years, Fortune's photographers have grabbed unguarded snapshots of some of the business world's biggest names relaxing with their canine companions. Among the highlights: Richard Branson sharing a sun-drenched pool with a pampered pooch, Sam Walton out hunting with his faithful hound and former Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy pulling faces with his two dogs. CNNMoney.com/Fortune (02/14)
7. Why does HP keep getting governance wrong?
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 13, 2012
HP has a corporate-governance problem, and Meg Whitman's arrival doesn't seem to have done much to change that, writes Eleanor Bloxham. The company has come under fire for its executive-compensation and board-nominations processes, and this year's proxy has exactly the same problems. "[T]he more things seem to change at the tech giant, the more they stay the same," Bloxham writes. CNNMoney.com/Fortune (02/10)
8. What's your opinion of people showing their emotions and crying in the workplace?
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 14, 2012
9. Why CEOs should model themselves on Meryl Streep
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 14, 2012
Meryl Streep is a methodical, utterly committed actress, and top business leaders need to develop a similar self-mastery to inspire confidence in their workers, John Baldoni writes. Like actors immersing themselves in a role, bosses must be able to keep their moods and emotions in check to project an authentic but in-control persona. CBS MoneyWatch (02/13)
10. How Planned Parenthood keeps donors on the defensive
SmartBrief on Leadership | Feb 10, 2012
Planned Parenthood came out fighting after the Susan G. Komen foundation decided to cut its funding, mounting a media assault that even Komen officials admit was "incredibly sophisticated." That scorched-earth approach is an important part of Planned Parenthood's strategy, and is intended to dissuade other donors from trying to jump ship, says former Planned Parenthood President Gloria Feldt. "If you go to kill the king, the king must die. ... Planned Parenthood has to play really hardball." Talking Points Memo (02/09)
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