When anxiety strikes, use it to improve your leadership

Women make leadership strides in the face of challenges | Execs explore ways to get more women into leadership | Use anxiety to become a more effective leader Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( January 4, 2024 CONNECT WITH NEXTUP  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( €‰€‰[Tik tok]( [NEW SmartBrief]( Gender equity news from NextUp, Advancing All Women in Business [SIGN UP]( â‹… [SHARE]( [] Top of the week [] [Women make leadership strides in the face of challenges]( [Women make leadership strides in the face of challenges]( (Pixabay) The number of women-owned businesses rose 114% in the 20-year period to 2018, and companies with women on the board have more diversity, mentoring programs, innovation, oversight, performance and accountability than all-male boards, Avestria Ventures marketing director Eva Epker writes. Still, just 28% of corporate board seats are held by women and companies led by women on average receive less funding than male-owned businesses, and Epker says phrases like "female CEO" should remain in use to highlight women leaders' accomplishments in the face of steeper challenges. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (12/30) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Today's leadership [] [Execs explore ways to get more women into leadership]( Businesses will need to boost diversity and inclusion commitments, mentorship programs and address systemic barriers including inflexible work and pay gaps to attract more women into senior roles, according to four women business leaders. Their personal leadership goals this year include achieving higher positions, fostering inclusive cultures and advocating for systemic change to support women and underrepresented groups in achieving senior leadership roles. Full Story: [The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (tiered subscription model)]( (1/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Use anxiety to become a more effective leader]( [Use anxiety to become a more effective leader]( (BeritK/Getty Images) Anxiety is a given in leadership, but when it leads you to micromanage or burn out, it can affect your team as well, says consultant and author Morra Aarons-Mele, who recommends leaders be vulnerable, help their team navigate company culture and systems and involve human resources when necessary. "I think it really comes down to setting boundaries, setting clear goals, defining what success is, so people really know what success is and aren't anxiously overworking to try to get there, and reining things in a little bit," Aarons-Mele says. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (12/27) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Are you actively listening or actively distracted?]( Active listening encompasses a specific skill set that "requires both empathy and self-awareness," writes Amy Gallo, contributing editor at Harvard Business Review. "Leaders must develop the discipline to listen purely for comprehension -- without an agenda, distraction, or judgment -- and actively seek input from all levels and ranks," Gallo notes. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (1/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [As you make new beginnings, think about what to stop]( Stopping something can be difficult because it may feel like you've failed, but as David C. Baker writes, putting a time frame around a new activity or stopping an old one to make room for the new endeavor can make such transitions easier. Bring that mindset into your leadership, Baker advises, and review whether growth is essential this year and if you have the right people on your team or if it's time to let some of them go. Full Story: [David C. Baker]( (1/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Mercy Corps chief: Follow your passion for fulfilment]( Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, head of Mercy Corps, says leaving the private sector to pursue a career in the nonprofit world has helped her feel like she's living her purpose while still using the skills she acquired in the business world. McKenna, the organization's first female leader and first Black leader, says she works to push conversations on diversity to have nonprofits mirror the communities they serve. Full Story: [PassBlue]( (12/31) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Read the latest from SmartBrief [] - [Do you have a rallying cry for 2024?]( SmartBrief/Leadership (1/3) [] - [Buddy up: What we learned as peer accountability partners]( SmartBrief/Leadership (1/2) [] - [What leaders need to know about personality and motivation]( SmartBrief/Leadership (12/21) Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [Nonverbal Communications Skills -- The 10 Skills You Need to Learn]( - [70+ Excel Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows (Free Cheat Sheet)]( - [Best Practices for Email Etiquette]( - [11 Habits That Will Give You A Complete And Successful Life]( - [Creating Positive Habits - The Ultimate Guide]( [] Diversity & Inclusion Trends [] [How tech can be harnessed to fast-track DEI efforts]( Forbes Technology Council members offer insights into how technology can enhance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, advocating for tools that address linguistic barriers, facilitate recruitment and connect with a global workforce. Additionally, they highlight the role of data analytics in providing organizations with an assessment of existing policies and hiring practices. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (12/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Agency execs on 2023's DE&I decline]( Agency executives talk about the times advertising got diversity, equity and inclusion wrong this year, why mishaps happened and why a decline in investment and prioritization must be reversed. "You can constantly feel like you're failing, but it's going to cost time and money to make systemic change, which is why you can't ever give up even when it feels like you're taking two steps back," says Theresa Sarbeng, head of DE&I, North America at Oliver. Full Story: [Campaign US (tiered subscription model)]( (12/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Tech companies cut DEI jobs and programs, data show]( Data show Meta, Google and other technology companies -- which intensified diversity efforts after Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 -- cut diversity, equity and inclusion jobs last year and had fewer postings for DEI-related roles, although the companies say they remain committed to diversity programs. "When George Floyd began to become the topic of conversations, companies and executives doubled down on their commitments and here we are only a couple years later, and folks are looking for opportunities to cut those teams," says Devika Brij, CEO of Brij the Gap Consulting. Full Story: [Fox Business]( (12/27) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction. 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