3 keys for using humor in meetings

3 questions to expand a myopic business vision | Contradiction can be good for leaders | Study: Most public companies grow slowly, if at all Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 23, 2019 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [FORWARD](  [] Leading Edge [] [3 questions to expand a myopic business vision]( Leaders can widen their worldview by being curious beyond their jobs and considering whether something will still be important a year from now, writes Scott Eblin. "If you determine it will matter a year from now, there's still an opportunity to adjust to a different approach by asking a second question, 'How do I need to show up to create a great outcome?'" he writes. [Eblin Group]( (9/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Contradiction can be good for leaders]( Leaders should embrace a paradoxical mindset that allows them to simultaneously empower and maintain control, writes INSEAD associate professor Ella Miron-Spektor. "Adopting a paradox lens shifts the focus from competitive to complementary thinking, thus allowing people to confront tension, scrutinise inherent contradictions and find creative ways in which competing demands can be met," she writes. [INSEAD Knowledge]( (9/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Strategic Management [] [Study: Most public companies grow slowly, if at all]( A [study]( of about 2,500 publicly listed manufacturers shows that most experience slow growth over time, with few being able to sustain growth in the long run. Some industries are slow-growing overall but feature standouts, and long-term revenue gain isn't necessarily fast growth, says Gary Pisano of Harvard Business School. [Harvard Business School Working Knowledge]( (9/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( ProMedica is transforming more than healthcare. ProMedica has always been on the cutting edge of healthcare, and their acquisition of HCR ManorCare has the potential to transform their business model and the greater community's wellness. To help make it happen, they turned to their long-time partners at Barclays to provide the financing and industry expertise. [Watch the story.]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Smarter Communication [] [3 keys for using humor in meetings]( Using humor that is simple and relevant can lighten the mood during meetings and lead to more interaction, writes John Baldoni, citing a study of earnings calls and advice from comedian and author Andrew Tarvin. "If you can make your humor that people find simple, relevant and fun -- as well as non-hostile -- you will bring a note of joy to the workplace and maybe even a bit more understanding," Baldoni writes. [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (9/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Keep corporate communication clear and flexible]( Corporate communication needs to have a consistent voice that can be tailored to the audience while remaining inspirational, respectful and honest, writes Jaime Cox. "Adhering to a universal style guide means that -- in theory -- anyone can write for corporate communications, and people will take your messages more seriously," she writes. [All Things IC (UK)]( (9/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [Telling an embarrassing story is good for generating ideas]( Writing or sharing a story about being recently embarrassed is better for idea generation than telling a story about a "prideful moment," according to research that included Leigh Thompson, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management. "So sharing an embarrassing story may actually counteract fears of future embarrassment by reminding us we're all human," she writes. [Fast Company online]( (9/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [ServiceNow's CEO on "east-west" working and other leadership tips]( Great leaders are hungry to learn and have a good sense of what they excel and struggle at, says ServiceNow CEO John Donahoe. He also describes the concept of a team solving problems together -- an "east-west" approach rather than pushing the issue "north" to the CEO. [LinkedIn]( (9/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [How we came to describe places as "Podunk"]( People use the word "Podunk" to describe isolated backwaters, but the precise definition of the Algonquian word remains murky. You can, however, intentionally visit Podunk in New York and three New England states. [National Public Radio]( (9/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [9 gestures to know for better presentations]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Ask these 10 questions to better understand your career]( Art Petty [] - [Reclaim your power in a toxic work environment]( Let's Grow Leaders [] - [5 ways pressure leads to poor leadership]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Be confident and offer your expertise in meetings]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] [] The only cats worth anything are the cats that take chances. 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