7 questions that are better icebreakers

What are you reading today? | Why leaders are role models in a crisis | 5 steps to embrace the both/and nature of change Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( August 21, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Editor's Note [] [What are you reading today?]( What are you reading today? Every Friday, we chat on Twitter about the books that are making a difference in our leadership journey. Please [respond to this tweet with your #FridayReads fave](! [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Leading Edge [] [Why leaders are role models in a crisis]( Help employees deal with stress during a crisis by modeling coping skills while giving them a common goal, writes Lolly Daskal. "When people know where they're going and have a clear sense of the purpose, meaning and value behind what they're doing, anxiety fades and focused action takes priority," Daskal writes. Full Story: [Lolly Daskal]( (8/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( What mental health at work means in 2020 Headspace for Work's 2020 mental health trends report reveals a gap between what employees want, and what their employers actually offer. Companies need to grasp now that people really do "bring their whole selves" to work—stress, anxiety, and all. [Get the report.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [5 steps to embrace the both/and nature of change]( Change management runs into trouble when people fail to realize that stability and change go hand in hand rather than being opposed, writes Barry Johnson. He offers a five-step process based off the Polarity Map concept to help organizations navigate such change resistance in a productive way. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (8/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Strategy is about fit, not comfort]( Strategies need to fit the needs of the business or even just the business unit, but leaders often instead select "whichever is comfortable for them," writes Magpie Insights CEO Jarret Jackson. He discusses three general approaches to strategy, each of which works under the right circumstances. Full Story: [Forbes]( (8/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( SmartBrief Originals Sponsored content brought to you by SmartBrief - [Take your virtual meetings to the next level]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [How to think about content creation and personal branding]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [The state of sustainability during COVID-19 in the food industry]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [How to run an effective virtual meeting: Stop blaming Zoom!]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( - [Why the path to student success is different for Gen Z]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [] Smarter Communication [] [7 questions that are better icebreakers]( "How are you?" from a boss is not as effective as asking questions that demonstrate curiosity and invite deeper answers, such as "What challenges are you facing?" or "What are you looking forward to?" writes Dan Rockwell. Try envisioning these interactions as the last you'll have, so you'll want to make the questions count. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (8/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Communicating data? Here's a primer]( Communicating data requires understanding the various types of data analytics and their purpose, writes Public Affairs Foundation Executive Director Annapoorna Ravichander. She discusses four kinds of data analytics and their potential value, starting with descriptive analytics. Full Story: [On Think Tanks]( (8/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Living Get your mind and body right each Friday [] [Create a different "you" to build your confidence]( Thinking of ourselves in the third person -- or creating an alter ego like Beyonce's "Sasha Fierce" -- can ease anxiety and improve confidence, say researchers. "Self-distancing gives us a little bit of extra space to think rationally about the situation," says psychology professor Rachel White. Full Story: [BBC]( (8/17) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Why hierarchy isn't important to IBM's president]( Why hierarchy isn't important to IBM's president Whitehurst (Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images) IBM President Jim Whitehurst has always embraced workplaces that de-emphasize hierarchy and focus on cooperation and "space for people to talk." He also discusses why he takes notes in meetings, how he's trying to shift IBM's culture and what he looks for when hiring. Full Story: [LinkedIn]( (8/19) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [How a teenage band created "Wipe Out"]( The 1960s surfing instrumental "Wipe Out" was originally called "Surfer Joe" -- written by teenagers in the band The Surfaris and covered by other artists. Surfari guitarist Bob Berryhill explains the ad-libbed nature of the song, including the "wipe out" scream from the recording studio's owner. Full Story: [OpenCulture Blog]( (8/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. SmartBrief will donate $10 per new reader to organizations fighting for climate reform, women's rights, global health initiatives and more. [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] Nothing is so impenetrable as laughter in a language you don't understand. 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