Why it's sometimes best to remain in your comfort zone

Why it's sometimes best to remain in your comfort zone | practice (split each time) | Engage your audience by taking them on a journey Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( July 18, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading the Way [] [Why it's sometimes best to remain in your comfort zone]( [Why it's sometimes best to remain in your comfort zone]( (Christian Horz/Getty Images) Getting outside of your comfort zone and trying new things is a great way to grow, but there are times when you should stay there, experts say, such as when you're stressed out, under review, in need of a confidence boost, working in your area of expertise or it's just too risky. "When resources are tight -- whether it's time, money or people -- sticking to what you know works can help you get the most out of what you have," says author Henna Pryor. Full Story: [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (7/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: If you're happy in your job and not worried that AI or other technology will one day displace you, [leaving your comfort zone isn't recommended]( unless you feel you might regret it, says Cheryl Naumann, chief human resources officer for the University of Phoenix. "The nagging feelings of missed opportunities and chances that you passed up may take a greater toll as time passes than living in discomfort for the short term," Naumann notes. Making an impact with the USOPC, LA28, and more For more than 15 years, we've worked closely with the USOPC to help drive greater organizational efficiency and business impact. As a trusted advisor of LA28, we're helping to harness leading-edge solutions to support the backbone of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. [See how.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [Engage your audience by taking them on a journey]( [Engage your audience by taking them on a journey]( (Andry Djumantara/Getty Images) Engage your audience during a presentation by making them the hero of the story, showing them you relate to their pain points and offering your guidance and strategies that will help them overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams, writes Duarte's Phoebe Perelman. "By empathizing with your audience and offering support, you can draw them in, win them over, and ultimately, help solve their problems," Perelman notes. Full Story: [Duarte]( (7/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Every story needs an antagonist -- [a challenge to overcome]( -- whether it's declining revenues, employee burnout or an ineffective process, Perelman writes. "Addressing an issue the audience faces not only helps them relate to you, but this sense of conflict also keeps them engaged as they become invested in how to overcome the challenge." [] [A leader's words are powerful, so use them wisely]( When leaders speak, team members tend to take their words as orders whether they are meant as such or not, write Vanderbilt University professor Kelly Goldsmith and executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, who suggest asking yourself, "Is it worth it?" before speaking because your words may affect the motivation of your team, for good or ill. They suggest following the advice of Alan Mulally, former CEO of Ford, who always asked if someone else was more qualified to speak on a given topic and ceding the floor to them. Full Story: [Chief Executive]( (7/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Carry that question, "Is it worth it?" home with you, the Goldsmiths suggest, [asking if what you want to say will improve a family member's commitment](. "[I]f the comment you're about to make will damage your relationship with a person you love, it is almost never worth it," they note. We make work, work. You don't know what we do, but you'd know if we didn't do it. From automating order generation to AI-powered document processing, and everything in between. [Learn more about our solutions »]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Future of Work Your work future could include ... [] - ["Coffee badging" and other ways employees are showing disengagement]( CNBC (7/16) [] - [2 views on how AI will change the workforce of the future]( Forbes (tiered subscription model) (7/17) [] - [Survey: 64% of Gen Z workers approve of unions]( CBS News (7/16) Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [The Communication Process: Skills to achieve desired outcomes]( - [Microsoft Excel: Unlocking the Power of Spreadsheets]( - [The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2023 - Part 1]( - [ChatGPT Newbie: Your Essential Handbook for Navigating ChatGPT]( - [The Visual You - Why Body Language Matters When You Speak]( [] In Their Own Words [] [How these female CEOs embraced being role models]( In a joint interview this week, GM CEO Mary Barra and former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty talked about their leadership philosophies and how their view of being a woman in the C-suite has evolved over the years. They both downplayed their gender early on but later embraced their status when they realized they were role models for other women, or as Rometty put it: "People can't be what they can't see." Full Story: [CNBC]( (7/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [London man's hedge trimming becomes a tourist attraction]( [London man's hedge trimming becomes a tourist attraction]( (Pixabay) Tim Bushe began topiary art of the bushes around his own house at his wife's urging, and now cuts images of cats, squirrels, fish and even late British sculptor Henry Moore's "Reclining Nude" for neighbors all around his London neighborhood. The artful hedges have become a tourist attraction, and Bushe, an architect by trade, has leveraged the attention to raise money for charity. Full Story: [CBS News]( (7/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Local records might be shattered if the temperature exceeds 130 F in Death Valley, Calif., this summer, so let's think cooling thoughts. What is the lowest temperature recorded in Oymyakon, Russia, according to Guinness? [Vote]( [-20 F]( [Vote]( [-67 F]( [Vote]( [-90 F]( [Vote]( [-103 F]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew One of the key things they teach you in homiletics class in seminary ("homiletics" is a fancy word for sermon writing) is to put the audience at the center. Talk to them about the problems they're experiencing, the challenges they're facing and the place of joy and peace they want to get to. Christian ministers will use stories from the Bible and the life of Jesus to achieve this. Buddhist teachers will use Buddha's words. Muslims will use the Koran and the stories of Muhammad. Hindus may quote the Vedas. Metaphysical and New Age teachers will use just about anything that works to get the message across (I speak from experience here). That doesn't mean you can't relate a story from your life, but you must make it relate in some way to the pain points and problems those in the audience are facing. We all share common challenges, so it's best to stick to those to make your presentation or talk relatable. Every story needs an antagonist, too, something to challenge us that we can overcome. In my talks, the antagonist was always our ego and how it can deceive us on so many levels. In a business talk, [Phoebe Perelman points to several possible antagonists](, including a revenue decline, a rising competitor or employee burnout. Your role as the speaker is to share your wisdom and experience, but it's also to spark within your listener a sense of empowerment and creativity. You're providing the tools they'll need to overcome the challenge, but you're also ready to show them how to use those tools effectively. I always knew I had achieved this when someone would come up to me after a Sunday celebration and tell me the message hit home for me. I really knew I had hit my target when someone would come up to me and recall the lesson from a talk I had given years before. When your words stick with someone for a long time, you know you've told the story well. 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 praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. 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