SmartBrief on Leadership - How to defuse resentment on your team

Our energy ebbs and flows during the day, so the best leaders understand when they'll be at their best and when they may need a break from the computer or other tasks and take a walk or lie down for a short nap, writes Kristen Hendrix. If a nap isn't feasible (especially if there are policies against it), Hendrix recommends stepping away from your work and finding a quiet place to settle your mind, do a mental check-in and regain focus from your "racing brain."

Put it into practice: If your manager keeps giving you big projects that require you to work when you're mentally spent, Hendrix recommends talking with them and explaining how working during your sharp mental times will result in your best work. "When we spend our day in meetings or in front of a computer (both if we work remotely), expecting creative work to flow throughout isn't reasonable."

Snarky comments and sarcasm can be signs that your team is struggling with resentment rather than just a general attitude problem, according to Anthony Klotz, associate professor of organizational behavior at the UCL School of Management in UK. Klotz recommends talking to team members one-on-one, shaking up routines and encouraging team members to speak to leadership if their gripe is with organizational policies.

Put it into practice: Could you be part of the problem that is causing resentment? "Ask for feedback to understand how your team members are metabolizing and experiencing your leadership," Klotz says.

Open communication is crucial during sticky situations at work such as when a popular employee has been let go, writes Joseph Grenny, who recommends listening to other employees and validating their feelings. Grenny writes that empathizing with employees and sharing HR policies can reassure employees that the decision was made with care -- without having to share details behind the decision.

Put it into practice: Employees may just need an opportunity to vent when another employee is let go, and may take out their anger on managers, whether it's justified or not. "Try to empathize with their anger even if you don't agree with it," Grenny writes.

Starting your day with a glass of lemon water -- simply room temperature water with lemon juice -- provides vitamin C and antioxidants and helps with hydration, according to registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, who details the healthful benefits of this easy daily habit. Drinking lemon water may aid in digestion and help prevent kidney stones, Zumpano says, adding a caution that the citric acid in lemon juice can erode tooth enamel, so consider drinking lemon water through a straw.

The most expensive dogs you can own -- based on how much you'll shell out for a purebred breed -- are French and English bulldogs, the Tibetan Mastiff, Chow Chow and Samoyed, which cost anywhere between $3,750 and $4,250 each, according to data from Reader's Digest. The least expensive dogs, though, are those you can find at rescues and humane societies, with puppies costing about $375 and older dogs $150. Of course, what you get back in love, affection and loyalty, is priceless.

Context and caution are the watchwords when using emojis in business communications for the vast majority of you (nearly 78%), which experts say is probably the best way to use emotive icons.

Marian Scala, from NTT DATA, encourages the use of emojis to help better convey emotions in emails, but also as a way for persons with disabilities to improve their messages and help others be more aware of diversity. Jennifer Calonia with Grammarly also has some suggestions on when to use emojis and when to skip them, recommending their use mainly within internal communications and rarely, if ever, for external emails unless you know that person well.

"For example, if the recipient expects conventional professionalism, or if the subject of your message is official or weighty, using emoji in an email might be considered unprofessional," Calonia writes. That's something nearly 18% of you agree with. 👍

If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or send this link.

What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have any feedback you'd like to share? Drop me a note. And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them.