Leading Edge

Smart bosses take the weekend off, says Interface CEO
Leaders who find themselves chained to their desk over the weekend are doing something wrong, says Daniel T. Hendrix, president and CEO of Interface. Bosses who try to work nonstop and do everything themselves will burn out, and that isn't good for them or their company, Hendrix explains. "[Y]ou have to delegate, have to have accountability and have to make sure that people have the tools to do the job," he says. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/16)
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4 leadership lessons from George Washington
George Washington led his troops to victory against the British redcoats in 1777 in part by adopting a more democratic approach to leadership, writes Signe Spencer. Rather than simply issuing commands and expecting obedience, Washington sought the advice of his subordinates and thereby hatched a battle plan that was more innovative and effective than anything a single general could have devised alone. Great Leadership (2/17)
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Strategic Management

Sony pins its hopes on a PlayStation update
Sony wants the next iteration of its PlayStation video-gaming platform to be a beachhead that will persuade customers to spring for other Sony hardware, including TVs and cellphones. Analysts aren't convinced on the strategy, but everyone agrees the company's future depends on it successfully refreshing its PlayStation console. "At the end of the day, we need to turn out great products," says CEO Kazuo Hirai. Bloomberg Businessweek (2/14)
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Chapter 11 gives airlines but a temporary boost
Airlines that enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy tend to operate newer aircraft and have fewer delays and cancellations, but those carriers relapse once they emerge from insolvency, according to a study. The performance improvements with staying power are driven by investments in fixed assets, the study found. Strategy+Business online (free registration) (2/15)
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Innovation and Creativity

10 tech advancements to watch for this year
Ten technologies are likely to help deliver sustainable growth in 2013, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies. Among the most promising: 3-D printing, self-healing materials, nanoscale-level drug delivery, and electric vehicles that draw power wirelessly from cables buried beneath the road. World Economic Forum/Blog (2/14)
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Most Read by CEOs

The Global Perspective

Find a fixer to help you navigate new cultures
Bosses hoping to give useful feedback to workers from other cultures, or to lead foreign workforces effectively, need to learn the local rules of social behavior, writes Andy Molinsky. One way to do that is to find a guide or fixer who can help avoid cultural misunderstandings. "A mentor who appreciates your position as well as the expectations of the new culture can help you craft a new style that fits where you are and that feels authentic to you," Molinsky writes. Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network (2/15)
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Engage. Innovate. Discuss.

Public-speaking tips from Aristotle

YouTube/John Baldoni

Leaders should learn from Aristotle when it comes to planning a public speech or presentation, says John Baldoni. That means keeping things simple, and repeatedly signposting your key points. "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em," Baldoni says. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (2/15)
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Daily Diversion

What if an asteroid hit Central Park?
Asteroid 2012 DA14, which just missed Earth last week, was just a pebble compared with some of the chunks of rock whirling around our solar system, Jeffrey Kluger writes. A larger -- but still only moderately sized -- asteroid falling on New York City's Central Park would level every building for miles around, causing "incalculable" economic damage even if the city were evacuated in time, experts say. Time.com (2/14)
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Editor's Note

Connect with us on Twitter
Follow @SBLeaders on Twitter for more leadership and management news from SmartBrief on Leadership's lead editor, James daSilva. Join the conversation.
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SmartQuote

You have to keep reinventing yourself in this world." -- Daniel T. Hendrix, president and CEO of Interface, as quoted in the New York Times Share: