Focus on "don't wants" to get what you do want in 2023

Focus on "don't wants" to get what you do want in 2023 | Mastering the dance of effective leadership | 5 steps companies can take to step up their M&A game Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( December 23, 2022 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Leading Edge [] [Focus on "don't wants" to get what you do want in 2023]( Use the things you don't want to help you zero in on what you do want in the new year, such as building on past success, creating positive relationships and bringing value to your life and work, writes Dan Rockwell. "Choose to eliminate pain-producing habits and attitudes," Rockwell writes. Full Story: [Leadership Freak]( (12/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Mastering the dance of effective leadership]( Leaders need to be able to motivate others, communicate well, handle complex situations and gain the confidence and trust of others, writes Steven Windmueller, the interim director of HUC-JIR's Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management at the Jack H. Skirball campus, Los Angeles. " 'Leading' is a dance, engaging with lay partners and professional colleagues to find a productive, balanced outcome in which people feel connected, successful and appreciated," Windmueller writes. Full Story: [eJewish Philanthropy]( (12/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( How to achieve your strategic goals Your business's ability to accomplish strategic goals relies on the people you hire. With the labor market volatility, building and sustaining a winning workforce can be challenging. [Read our ebook]( for 10 tips to hit your goals. ADVERTISEMENT: [] Strategic Management [] [5 steps companies can take to step up their M&A game]( Companies that use a "buy and scale" method to pursue more than five M&A deals per year grow faster than their peers, according to McKinsey research. Analysts outline the five steps companies should take to make M&A part of their "strategic muscle." Full Story: [McKinsey]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   [] Smarter Communication [] [Don't like asking for help? Start small]( If you're afraid to ask for help because you fear being seen as weak or imposing on others, reflect on why that may be, ask for small assistance such as feedback and let others know you want to give them more opportunities to help, writes Rebecca Zucker, an executive coach and a founding partner at Next Step Partners. "You might also observe how you view others who ask you for help," Zucker writes. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (12/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Don't bring your online meeting style to in-person ones]( The rules around clothing, punctuality and speaking to be understood grew lax during the years of mostly online meetings, writes James Rosebush, the founder of the Intersection Impact Fund, who recommends brushing up on how to dress, be on time and speak during in-person meetings. "Being away from in-person meetings for so long has made many people value them more," Rosebush writes. Full Story: [Real Leaders]( (12/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [4 Simple Productivity Improvement Points To Dominate Your Day]( - [The Ultimate Guide To Developing Self-Discipline]( - [30 Life Lessons Learned in 30 Years]( - [How to Find Average Salary Information for US Workers]( - ["I Will Teach You to be Rich" Book Summary]( [] Smarter Living Get your mind and body right each Friday [] [Use acceptance to become your best self in 2023]( As the new year approaches, leadership coach Kristin Hendrix writes that it's a good time to shift our mindset to become more accepting of ourselves, others and the reality of the situations in which we find ourselves. "Whether we have a specific resolution, January 1st is a chance to begin anew," Hendrix writes. "To make commitments to ourselves for the year ahead that help us lean into the best versions of ourselves." Full Story: [Leadership Vitae]( (12/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [How cultivating deliberate calm can improve leadership]( Cultivating a sense of deliberate calm by being aware of what's going on both within yourself and in a given situation can help you respond better to both professional and personal challenges, writes Jacqueline Brassey, a professor, researcher and chief scientist at McKinsey & Co. "If you master deliberate calm, you not only help yourself but also the teams you lead to become more effective, fulfilled, creative, and successful," Brassey writes. Full Story: [Next Big Idea Club Magazine]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Move over Santa, make room for witches and werewolves]( Christmas traditions around the world can be downright scary, with tales of scary witches, werewolves and elves who spy on people and may not have the best of intentions, according to Linda Raedisch, author of "The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year." "I think that we long for the sacred, but it frightens us also, and maybe Christmas is a way -- just like Halloween is a way -- of confronting the bad, scary stuff and making light of it," Raedisch says. Full Story: [Religion News Service]( (12/20) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Editor's Note [] SmartBrief will not publish Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 In observance of the Christmas and New Year's holidays, SmartBrief will not publish Monday, Dec. 26, through Monday, Jan. 2. [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] POLL QUESTION: Which one of these business leaders was not born in December? Check your answer [here]( and learn more in [SmartBrief's business newsletters](. [Vote]( [Former Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson]( [Vote]( [Entrepreneur Lori Greiner]( [Vote]( [General Motors CEO Mary Barra]( [Vote]( [Amazon founder Jeff Bezos]( [] Answer to Thursday's quiz: Which country welcomed the most international tourists in 2021? According to [data from the UN](, 31.9 million tourists visited Mexico in 2021, taking it to the top destination. [See how your fellow readers answered](. 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 [] [] Who Said It? A new year can begin only because the old year ends. 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