Edition #18: It's (Mostly)All Good

Welcome back to the Leader Curations newsletter. I am an organizational psychologist, executive coach, speaker, and author. I publish this newsletter about once each month. It’s mostly about optimizing your leadership impact and career satisfaction. (I sometimes add a few other things that catch my fancy).? Thanks for stopping by. Click the “Subscribe” button (top right). You can learn more about me and my work by clicking?here.

?? ?? ?? ?? My 2024 Word of the Year is “Respect.”

###

I typically structure these newsletter articles in three sections: (1) Research Snack/What I am Seeing, (2) Good News Nibble, and (3) an Action Nugget. I get a lot of positive feedback about that format, but right now (is it just me ?), l need a mega dose of “good news.”

So, I expanded my “Good News Nibbles” to cover the whole of this edition. I am sure I can find at least three good news leadership stories to write about each time! I need them so that the hunt will be great fun.

Good News Nibble #1:

I hate to admit it, but I am slightly drained like you. I can’t find the time to read all the books I want to read or study all the research I crave, which frustrates me. It’s not Fear of Missing out, F.O.M.O.; it’s Fear Of Not Keeping Up, F.O.N.K.U. (be careful not to say that quickly because doing so does not sound like what I had in mind!) Anyway, two brilliant people I know have come to the rescue of all of us exhausted leaders by creating two highly engaging #leadershipdevelopment tools you will love.

1.??? The first tool is the highly engaging “Better at Work” animated video series that the creator, Liz Kislik , describes as a tool for “resolving workplace conflict with good sense, good humor, and just a little magic!” Liz is one of the wisest people I know, and for years, I have been describing her deep thoughts as “Lizisms.”

2.??? The second is a set of “How to Say It” #flashcards from Gorick Ng 's genius mind that promises to “Elevate your professional communication for a more confident, impactful, influential you.”

Here’s to learning without pain. We can all use that.

Good News Nibble #2:

Dina Denham Smith recently wrote an excellent #harvardbusinesreview article, reminding leaders that uncomfortable issues (she calls them “undiscussables”) become more significant and less manageable when you pretend they don’t exist. I love this article because it helps leaders deal with the real stuff that leaders are currently facing - political, religious, and race-based employee polarization that is present in society and creeps into work life. She advises, “You need to uncover any taboo topics on your team before they escalate and damage morale and performance.” My coaching clients are already dealing with these challenges, and I guide them to new behaviors to help them enhance their impact in these situations. Don’t bury your head in the sand and hope it will all smooth over. It won’t happen.

Good News (for employees) Nibble #3:

This is potentially good news for everyone (but employers may not see it that way initially). Since the pandemic, businesses have generally been better at listening to employees’ opinions about what is best for them. The stress of being alive now (technological innovation nonstop, climate change fear, social disruptions, wars, space junk proliferation, etc.) means many employees are stressed before they even walk in the door / turn on the computer. When work stress is added, employees need a way to decompress, so more employees ask employers for flexibility about how they do their work. But not all leaders want to hear about this. This may be one of the reasons why a California Assembly member introduced a bill last month that would give employees the "right to disconnect" when they leave the office. AB 2751, as amended,

“would require a public or private employer to establish a workplace policy that provides employees the right to disconnect from communications from the employer during nonworking hours, except as specified. The bill would define the “right to disconnect” to mean that, except for an emergency or for scheduling, as defined, an employee has the right to ignore communications from the employer during nonworking hours. The bill would require nonworking hours to be established by written agreement between an employer and employee.”?

I will be watching to see how this all plays out. The folk at the Wall Street Journal are not pleased. The Washington Post takes a more balanced view, clarifying that the bill is unlikely to become law in its current form.?

Interesting nevertheless. What do you think?

BONUS NIBBLE:

This is a decidedly mixed nibble. I am sharing it because it is a fascinating peek into corporate decision-making regarding employee well-being. I am part of the generation affected when companies decided they no longer wanted the obligations of defined benefit plans, switching en masse to defined contribution plans, like 401(k)s, instead. That did not necessarily work out well (for employees) because, according to Vanguard’s “How America Saves 2023” Report, the median 401((k) balance of Americans at retirement age (between 55 and 64) was just $71,168. In other words, many people who have 401(k) do not have enough money in those funds to finance their impending retirements. Larry Fink thinks the answer is to increase the retirement age. Labor union leaders disagree.

But now, according to the New York Times, IBM has reopened its previously frozen pension plan, moving away from 401(k) plans in which employees were responsible for saving and investing. Instead of 401(k) contributions, IBM is now giving employees cash credits in a new version of its old pension plan, called a "retirement benefit account."

The good news (for IBM): This move saves IBM hundreds of millions annually by eliminating 401(k) matching contributions. IBM's well-funded pension surplus allows it to offer new accounts without contributing new money for several years.

The not-so-good news (for employees): While beneficial for IBM's finances, the new accounts provide less generous benefits than the old pension plan, especially for long-tenured employees. Returns are limited to fixed income rates rather than equity market returns.

Companies make decisions about employee wellbeing based on managing financial risk. But is that the best way?

###

I wish you continued success as a leader – in all the ways you define success.

Anyone can help build a psychologically healthy work culture. If you want my FREE “25 Ways Anyone Can Help Build a Culture of Respect" ebook, click here to download it from my website. ?

Please click here for an initial consultation to learn more about my services.

Thank you for supporting my book, Leading Inclusion. If you’ve read and liked the book, please leave a review.

?