Use your voice and body to show confidence in meetings

You don't have to be a detective to uncover great leaders | practice | What an ancient Zen story can teach modern-day leaders Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( February 13, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [You don't have to be a detective to uncover great leaders]( [You don't have to be a detective to uncover great leaders]( (Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images) In the Netflix movie "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," Miles Bron is assumed to be a great leader because he fits the "leadership prototype," while the true innovators are an ex-partner and his chief scientist, who are both Black and don't fit the stereotype, write Sy Islam, co-founder and vice president of consulting with Talent Metrics, and Gordon Schmidt, a professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Using objective assessments, being aware of conscious and unconscious biases, and reviewing the talent pipeline can lead to more diverse leaders, they write. Full Story: [Association for Talent Development]( (2/2023) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Discover weaknesses and strengths in your managers by talking to their direct reports. "If your employees see their managers as not being helpful or effective, it may signal a mistake in your succession planning processes," Islam and Schmidt warn. [] [What an ancient Zen story can teach modern-day leaders]( A story about a Zen monk who picks up a woman and carries her across a river, much to the consternation of his younger companion, can help leaders learn how to be bold and decisive even when others question their wisdom, writes Lolly Daskal. Taking action in the face of resistance or when times are uncertain and resources are limited are all lessons from this story, Daskal writes. Full Story: [Lolly Daskal]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: The punchline of the Zen story is that the wiser monk knew the difference between the letter of religious law and its spirit, giving him the flexibility to help someone in need -- even if it meant breaking his vow to never touch a woman. The younger monk was more rigid in his beliefs and presumably would not have helped the woman. Which leader would you follow? 3 Equations That Support Upskilling During a Recession As you crunch recession numbers, keep your focus on upskilling. [Learn three ways]( upskilling during a recession gives you a competitive edge and saves money. (No math required!) ADVERTISEMENT: [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Use your voice and body to show confidence in meetings]( [Use your voice and body to show confidence in meetings]( (John Wildgoose/Getty Images) You can exude confidence in meetings -- even if you're not -- by choosing a position in the room that puts you in the middle of the action, leaning in during conversations and speaking up when appropriate, writes executive coach Joel Garfinkle. "You're an expert in your area and the best means you have to get your point across is in your own voice, and with conviction," Garfinkle writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (2/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Garfinkle also provides some actions to avoid including sitting away from the main table, lowering your chair when you are at the table and avoiding small talk with colleagues before the meeting. Anything that makes you invisible or less than collegial will work against you in a meeting, Garfinkle emphasizes. [] [Read more]( from Joel Garfinkle on SmartBrief on Leadership Move the Needle on Employee Engagement Create employee engagement programs that work. Check out the report to discover engagement best practices that benefit the business by: increasing talent retention, improving productivity, and meeting evolving customer needs. [Read the Report.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Smarter Communication [] [How Edison can illuminate communication strategies]( Thomas Alva Edison's 176th birthday was Saturday, and Brian Sherry writes that leaders can learn to improve their communication by mimicking Edison's emphasis on flexibility, teamwork and staying alert for chances to innovate and keep ahead of trends. "In the communications profession, we have to constantly be looking to the next big trend so we can get our clients out in front of it -- and have people saying how amazed they are that our clients got it right so early!" Sherry writes. Full Story: [Stern Strategy Group]( (2/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Following traditional ways of communicating can pay off, Sherry writes, but when you "think outside the box," you can spot trends and find more effective ways to communicate. Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Quick Reference Guide – Microsoft Excel 2021 Advanced Guide]( - [The Ultimate Guide to Developing Self-Discipline]( - [Public Speaking at Work]( - [Tips & Tricks Guide – Career Planning – Why It's Essential for Your Success]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [Combine service and sales for growth instead of cutting costs]( Chief Executive (2/9) [] - [When mapping strategy, remember everything is connected in business]( McKinsey (2/9) [] - [Don't leave the metaverse out of your strategic planning]( C-Suite Quarterly (Los Angeles) (2/2023) [] In Their Own Words [] [To succeed as a leader, fix your "first line of code"]( If your "first line of code" is broken -- meaning if your mindset is negative -- you'll struggle as a leader because you'll keep sabotaging yourself before you reach success, says professor and consultant Jamie Turner. "So manage the input to make sure what you put in your brain is appropriate, good, healthy, positive, optimistic ... then ultimately over the course of time you'll see your life getting better and better on both the personal side and the business side," Turner says. Full Story: [Deliberate Directions]( (2/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Study shows fish recognize their mirror image]( Researchers used photos to show that blue streak cleaner fish are able to recognize themselves because they reacted aggressively to photos of themselves that had been altered in some way, but not to the original image of themselves. "Together, these results demonstrate that cleaner fish can recognize themselves in a motionless image and appear to achieve this by self-face recognition," the researchers write. Full Story: [PetaPixel]( (2/10) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Most Read by CEOs The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers [] - [Use these 4 strategies to minimize burnout risk]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Use these 4 strategies to make online meetings bearable]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Why good relationships can make you more influential]( SmartBrief/Leadership [] - [Can a game of D&D make you a better leader? Roll the dice]( Medium (tiered subscription model) [] - [10 ways your team knows you're a trustworthy leader]( The People Equation blog [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] POLL QUESTION: On this day in 1920, a group of baseball team owners met to create the Negro National League. Where did that meeting take place? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [Kansas City, Mo.]( [Vote]( [St. Louis]( [Vote]( [Atlanta]( [Vote]( [Birmingham, Ala.]( [] A View from the Office [] A NOLA office view A NOLA office view Kendale Kirk sent in this office picture, with a window overlooking a historic cemetery in New Orleans. What does your office view look like? [Show us](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com)! [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew My favorite lesson from the Zen story [Lolly Daskal quotes]( is the ability to drop grievances. After their encounter with the woman, the older monk has forgotten all about it and isn't berating himself for breaking a vow. Instead, he knows that even our most precious precepts must be held lightly, and should be flexible when others are in need. Therefore, the older monk isn't suffering. His sidekick, though, spends the rest of the journey in mental and emotional turmoil, aghast at the behavior of his senior. He can't "put down" the grievance he has and can't understand how a vow could be laid aside so quickly, even to help someone else. He is suffering. What grievances do you need to put down? What areas of your leadership rules could benefit from some flexibility, especially in service to others? [Share your insights with me](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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