Focus on your "why," not results

What training dogs teaches us about leading people | How to distinguish between good ideas and future dreams | Outsourcing is out of vogue during the supply crisis Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( December 3, 2021 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [What training dogs teaches us about leading people]( Just as dog breeds have their specialties, people also excel in some areas but not others, writes Wally Bock, who offers five analogies for being a leader of people. Full Story: [Three Star Leadership]( (12/2) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How to distinguish between good ideas and future dreams]( Teams must be able to select ideas that can be addressed or explored immediately, lest they be overwhelmed by too many new things, writes Dan Rockwell. "Useful ideas are actionable today," Rockwell writes. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (12/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Build Operational Excellence HR is struggling to take people analytics from multiple sources, clean it, curate it, and deliver it to where it really matters — your people managers. Build operational excellence with ease using people analytics tech. [Get the E-book to learn how](. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [Outsourcing is out of vogue during the supply crisis]( Supply chain disruptions are leading companies such as Ford and Home Depot to pull back from outsourcing and return to vertical integration, writes Daniel Gross. While these moves are a defensive response to current events, vertical integration "can be particularly useful for companies that are obsessed with establishing and maintaining superior consumer experiences," Gross writes. Full Story: [Strategy+Business]( (12/2) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [6 digital tools that can improve remote work]( Tools that can help remote teams collaborate, set specific times for meetings and cut down on email and messaging can improve productivity and team morale, writes Steve Glaveski, CEO of Collective Campus. "Above all, however, digital tools are only as effective as how effectively you use them, and alignment between managers and employees is critical to the success of any digital transformation initiative," Glaveski writes. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (12/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [A microfiction author's guide to better writing]( [A microfiction author's guide to better writing]( (Pixabay) Content marketer Jesse Stanchak offers four storytelling lessons from his side hustle of creating microfiction on Twitter, starting by examining your overall writing structure and approach. "If you know what you want to say, say it confidently, and then leave a little room for the reader to contribute, you'll find the editing process is faster and easier because you'll just be trimming fat instead of trying to cover up weak muscles," Stanchak writes. Full Story: [Big Green Pen]( (11/28), [SmartBrief/Marketing]( (12/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Living Get your mind and body right each Friday [] [Focus on your "why," not results]( Former basketball player and coach David Nurse has learned personally that people should "figure out their why" to help their happiness, emotional state and performance, regardless of whether things are good or bad. "[W]hat many people don't realize -- or have trouble implementing -- is that truly knowing what you stand for and who you are as a person is only going to make you perform better," Nurse says. Full Story: [Gretchen Rubin]( (12/2) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [5 lessons about inclusion from a CEO who's still learning]( Weaving Influence CEO Becky Robinson shares how she's become more aware and comfortable with issues of diversity and inclusion in recent years, as well as the hard work and open-mindedness that's required. "My experience reflects this: As I get to know people who are different from me, our differences dissipate and our common experiences as humans emerge," Robinson writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (12/2) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Read more]( from Weaving Influence authors on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Daily Diversion [] [UPS drivers end rivalry between dogs and deliverers]( Dogs have long been the bane of postal carriers, but some UPS drivers are using [Instagram]( and [Facebook]( to post pictures and videos of their friendly encounters with canines. Posts include drivers receiving friendly face licks and playing with packs of puppies. Full Story: [My Modern Metropolis]( (12/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] 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]( [] About The Editor [] James daSilva James daSilva Hi, it's your SmartBrief on Leadership editor! Thank you for reading and subscribing. It's a great honor to feature Jesse Stanchak's essays today. Just over a decade ago, I was copy editing here while Jesse was maybe the most visible face of SmartBrief, overseeing what was then the newsletter, blog and Twitter account known as SmartBrief on Social Media. He has an endless curiosity in everything he does, which led to his [@MicroFlashFic](Twitter account and book. Unsurprisingly, he was one of my favorite co-workers, and he's an even better person. As always, if you know someone who should subscribe to this newsletter, 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:jdasilva@smartbrief.com) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Press Releases Sponsored Content [Hart Dairy Secures $20 Million Investment to Fuel Pasture-Raised and Grass-Fed 365 Days Per Year Dairy Movement]( [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 [] [] One can sometimes do good by being the right person in the wrong place. G.K. 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