Use this flowchart to decide if you need a meeting

Don't follow the crowd without seeing where it's going | How to help when employees share their sadness | Use this flowchart to decide if you need a meeting Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( November 2, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [Don't follow the crowd without seeing where it's going]( Don't follow the crowd without seeing where it's going American bison (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images) Before Native Americans had horses, they would hunt bison by exploiting their herd mentality and running the animals off of cliffs, writes Ken Downer, who warns modern business leaders to stay alert to their own herd mentality. "Like the buffalo, it can quickly get us into trouble if we only rely on social cues to show us the direction we should go," he writes. Full Story: [Rapid Start Leadership]( (10/30) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How to help when employees share their sadness]( When a team member is dealing with an emotionally tough situation, be ready to listen deeply without jumping into problem-solving mode, writes Lara Hogan. "Instead of immediately suggesting next steps, try asking open questions to understand what would be most helpful for your conversation to focus on, or what they need right now," she writes. Full Story: [Lara Hogan]( (10/29) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( 5 Must-Know Culture Trends for 2021 As companies enter 2021, how can organizations prepare for the new normal? [Read O.C. Tanner's 5 Culture Trends for 2021]( to see how you can be prepared to help your employees thrive, no matter what new challenges may come their way. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [Use this flowchart to decide if you need a meeting]( Many activities can be done by leaders, discussed in chat or dealt with by email, yet many organizations default to meetings instead. NOBL has created a flow chart to help decide when meetings are absolutely necessary, such as when you need people's input to move forward. Full Story: [NOBL Academy]( (11/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [4 steps to creating a mutually beneficial partnership]( Companies can create "self-fueling partnerships" with other businesses through a four-step process, beginning by understanding your company's position and conducting a SWOT analysis before approaching anyone, writes Bob Barker, chief strategy officer at Cybernance. "Brainstorm a long list of enterprises (suggested target is 20) that offer access to customers, new technology, or other resources critical to accelerating your company's growth," he writes. Full Story: [Texas CEO Magazine]( (10/29) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Our gift to you, Trader It's time to crack the code with machine learning. Experts at VantagePoint want to show you the A.I. forecasting tool they have been fine-tuning for over 40 years. This A.I. gives you that "systematic edge" you've been searching for. Reserve your seat in this [FREE live class!]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Smarter Communication [] [3 keys for being your best on camera]( Shining on video requires leaders to know what message they want to deliver, to set up their background and lighting and to look at the camera and not the interviewer, writes John Baldoni. Ask for a copy afterward, he writes, and review it to sharpen your next interview or presentation. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (10/30) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [Stuck? Flip a coin to make a decision and move on]( Make better decisions by giving yourself a time limit, limiting how many people you ask for advice and by avoiding decisions when fatigued, writes Jandra Sutton. In a pinch, flip a coin and trust your gut. Full Story: [Entrepreneur]( (10/29) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [An appreciation of Connery's screen presence]( [An appreciation of Connery's screen presence]( Connery in 1967's "You Only Live Twice" (Archive Photos/Getty Images) The late Sean Connery didn't start out like a man who'd be synonymous with the suave secret agent, but he became a screen legend and cultural icon by projecting "a kind of invincible effortlessness," writes Brian Phillips. "Struggle is the essence of drama, but there are some actors who win you over by making everything look easy, and in that group, Connery was the warmest presence, the most natural, the most welcoming," Phillips writes of Connery. Full Story: [The Ringer]( (10/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [7 signs that your psychological health is suffering]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Schedule your life and get more done]( Nir & Far blog [] - [Create a 100-day plan to manage your promotion]( Liz Kislik Associates [] - [Use disappointment to make yourself a better leader]( Leadership Freak [] - [How to maintain hope, even when you're anxious]( Psychology Today Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Help Spread the Word [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] We don't see the banality, but we accept banality. We accept it as inevitable, and it's not. 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