6 ways leaders can exercise their influence

When a leader's vision obscures reality's truth | 6 ways leaders can exercise their influence | Read more from Joel Garfinkle on SmartBrief on Leadership Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( December 22, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [When a leader's vision obscures reality's truth]( A famous poem by Clement Clarke Moore suggests Christmas Eve will be a time of quiet anticipation as children slumber peacefully, but reality often clashes with expectations, Dan Rockwell writes. Rockwell encourages leaders to examine whether their storybook visions are getting in the way of managing well. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [6 ways leaders can exercise their influence]( Increase your influence as a leader by creating a strategic vision and making decisions that move it forward while forming relationships needed for success, writes Joel Garfinkle. "Conviction, even enthusiasm, signals to others that you are setting out on the right path; you give people the ability to embrace change when you first embrace it yourself," he writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Read more]( from Joel Garfinkle on SmartBrief on Leadership Don’t just meet up. Show up. BlueJeans lets you bring more of yourself to meetings. With BlueJeans virtual events, you can host and manage up to 50,000 and still be interactive. [Try Events now.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [How the worst situations can lead to the best innovation]( Use the challenges of the pandemic to think in more creative ways, explore new products and services and collaborate on new projects or repurpose old offerings, writes John Klein. "Truly innovative leaders use even the worst of circumstances to cultivate long-term change," he writes. Full Story: [Chief Executive online]( (12/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Follow these 5 steps to craft a business continuity plan]( Companies can create a business continuity plan by taking five steps that begin with assigning a team that includes members with varying levels of authority, Jacob Wilson writes. It's critical to establish a plan during calm times, writes Wilson, as "it is never a good idea to put out fires on the fly as they emerge." Full Story: [Future of Work]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Designing + Managing the Agile Supply Chain COVID-19 has caused havoc on supply chains worldwide. Designing and Managing the Agile Supply Chain for the Future, a new Wharton LIVE program, is for executives who want to build supply chains that can withstand any future shocks. [Starts Jan 27. Apply Now!]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [How to meet angry words with a soft reply]( How to meet angry words with a soft reply (Pixabay) Stay in control of your emotions during a conflict by deescalating your reactions as the other person grows more agitated, writes Gary Genard. "The rule of thumb is: the louder your opponent becomes, the softer you should be in reply," he writes. Full Story: [The Genard Method]( (12/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sponsored content from The Wall Street Journal Free to read exclusively for SmartBrief readers - [Considering a New Job? Beware a Culture Misfit.]( - [How to Work From Home Effectively]( - [The Best-Managed Companies of 2020—and How They Got That Way]( - [How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance]( - [Companies Have Promised $35 Billion Toward Racial Equity. Where Is the Money Going?]( [] SmartPulse [] How generous of a person would you say you are? Extremely: I give freely and often sometimes until it hurts 13.19% Very: I regularly give what I can to others 40.91% Kind of: I'll give to people and causes I'm passionate about 34.72% Not very: I'll occasionally do generous things but not often 8.68% Not at all: I rarely give to others unless I'm encouraged to 2.50% [] Others before self? Generosity has many benefits beyond the actual act itself. Giving can foster connections, understanding, empathy and community. The item or action given doesn't have to be large to be meaningful. During especially challenging times, generosity can turn someone's entire day, week or month around. Don't give until it hurts. Hurt shouldn't be part of the equation. But do consider giving for the sake of giving. Occasionally, others will hear of your generosity and hopefully be inspired to be generous, as well. We're all weathering the same storm -- consider how you might make someone else's experience a bit more pleasant or bearable. -- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of [thoughtLEADERS](, which includes TITAN-- the firm's e-learning platform. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a West Point graduate and author of three leadership books: ["One Piece of Paper,"]( ["Lead Inside the Box"]( and ["The Elegant Pitch."]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] POLL QUESTION: How much have you grown as a leader in the last 12 months? [Vote]( [A lot! My leadership skills have improved dramatically]( [Vote]( [Somewhat. I've grown in a few specific areas]( [Vote]( [Not much. I've grown in very few areas]( [Vote]( [Not at all. I'm about the same as I was a year ago]( [] In Their Own Words [] [IDEO Chair: Use design thinking to survive disruption]( Design thinkers who could see the possibilities emerging from the disruption of the global pandemic have been able to thrive during this crisis, says Tim Brown, chairman of IDEO. "Those who already had significant creative capacity, were able to respond very quickly to the crisis and pivot activities to do new things," he says. Full Story: [Global Peter Drucker Forum]( (12/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Construction workers dig up WWI artillery gun in Canada]( A field gun used by German soldiers during World War I has been dug out of a construction site in Canada and is in storage while city officials decide its fate. The artillery gun had been brought back as a trophy and had sat in a park until the 1970s, when it was buried because of its deteriorating condition. Full Story: [CTV (Canada)]( (12/16) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Editor's Note [] [The top 15 SmartBrief on Leadership blog posts for 2020]( [The top 15 SmartBrief on Leadership blog posts for 2020]( (SmartBrief) SmartBrief on Leadership is more than a newsletter -- we also publish [hundreds of blog posts]( annually on management, communication, strategy and more. Check out our recap of the top 15 most-read blog posts and see what you might have missed. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/18) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Press Releases Sponsored Content [Compass Group’s Corporate Facilities Management Division Wins Prestigious Industry Award]( [Post a Press Release]( 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 [] [] Even in winter it shall be green in my heart. Frederic Chopin, composer, pianist [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004