Can a game of D&D make you a better leader? Roll the dice

Can a game of D&D make you a better leader? Roll the dice | practice | Can't boost pay right now? Rely on intangible motivation Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( February 10, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [Can a game of D&D make you a better leader? Roll the dice]( [Can a game of D&D make you a better leader? Roll the dice]( (Blackregis/Getty Images) Preparing to play the role of Dungeon Master in a game of Dungeons & Dragons made John Hartley realize how similar it was to his role as a manager who must know the skills of their employees and help them stretch from time to time while having a clear goal in mind and a plan when things go sideways. "I also learned that it's completely okay to let them wander off the path, but I needed to know juuust enough about the world, its dangers, and what they may encounter," Hartley writes. Full Story: [Medium (tiered subscription model)/Better Programming]( (2/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Just like in the realm of leadership, there are plenty of books on D&D strategy and how to be a good Dungeon Master. No one can read them all, but as Hartley notes, "You'll never know everything about management, and that's alright!" Your Keys to Self Preservation Get the new Degreed Recession Survival Kit for L&D and explore the top 10 things innovative learning leaders can do to keep learning relevant, develop and retain employees — and prove the business value of L&D — during lean times. [Get the Survival Kit.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Can't boost pay right now? Rely on intangible motivation]( [Can't boost pay right now? Rely on intangible motivation]( (the_burtons/Getty Images) If your company is unable to offer salary increases to retain employees, find out what else motivates them such as new projects, respect, more responsibility or stability and provide that, writes Julie Winkle Giulioni. "And when you lean into your personal knowledge and relationship with the employee, you'll be able to find countless other intangibles that become 'priceless' differentiators that help to round out the compensation picture," Winkle Giulioni writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: You may still lose employees who need to make more money, but Winkle Giulioni writes you can prepare for that by cross-training employees, and making it clear to the departing employee that they would be welcome to return in the future (if, indeed, that's true). [] [Read more]( from Julie Winkle Giulioni on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [How your loose lips could sink your leadership]( Using language that makes your direct reports feel disempowered or embarrassed undermines your leadership effectiveness, writes Bobby Hoffman, an associate professor at the University of Central Florida, who recommends speaking in ways that preserve the feelings of competence and autonomy in the other person. "Regardless of the circumstances or your communication medium, your message should be understood, relevant, persuasive, and include a call to action if you hope to achieve desired results," Hoffman writes. Full Story: [Psychology Today]( (2/8) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Addressing performance issues may be one of the trickiest communication conundrums for leaders. Hoffman recommends avoiding a "you" vs. "me" conversation by allowing your employee to come up with ways they can improve and how they could make that work before outlining your ideas. Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Tips & Tricks Guide - Microsoft Windows 11]( - [Career Planning Tips]( - [25 Cryptocurrencies You Should Know About]( - [Nonverbal Communications Skills – The 10 Skills You Need to Learn]( - [How Technology Can Help You Get a Good Night's Sleep]( [] Weekend Reading [] [Fool me once ... but you can get fooled again]( If you're afraid of being played for a sucker, it could blind you to scams you really should be watching out for. Penn Law School professor Tess Wilkinson-Ryan explains the concept in her book, "Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order -- and What We Can Do About It." Full Story: [McKinsey]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Layoffs uncover the lack of support for parents]( Layoffs, especially in the technology sector, are uncovering a weakness in many industries -- the lack of parental leave for both mothers and fathers. This weekend read highlights the promise -- and peril -- of such policies. Full Story: [The New York Times]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Your wallet will be hungry after your Super Bowl feast]( If you're planning your Super Bowl snack extravaganza, it will cost you more than last year as the price of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit have risen by 8% year-over-year since February 2019 with alcoholic drinks up 6% and nonalcoholic drinks guzzling up 13% more of the food budget. There is some good news: The price of whole chicken wings was $2.65 per pound last month, a bit cheaper than the $3.38 per pound fans paid last year. Full Story: [Axios]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] POLL QUESTION: On this day in 1996, IBM's Deep Blue is considered the first computer to win a game against which chess grandmaster? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [Bobby Fischer]( [Vote]( [Boris Alterman]( [Vote]( [Garry Kasparov]( [Vote]( [Viswanathan Anand]( [] Away from the Office [] Sunrise over the San Francisco harbor Sunrise over the San Francisco harbor (Jenifer Natto) Jenifer Natto sent in this photo of a beautiful sunrise over the San Francisco harbor. Where have you been lately? [Send me your photos](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew I admit I've never played a game of Dungeons & Dragons, so I'll have to take [John Hartley at his word]( that the game holds many management lessons. The ones he pulls out, though -- knowing your team's capabilities, allowing them to explore new possibilities and being prepared to get them back on track -- seem universal. What are the management challenges you're facing -- or have faced -- and used strategies you learned from games to correct? [Share your experience](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com)! If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. 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:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. 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