Leaders need to give up control to execute strategy well

Billie Jean King champions the business of women's sports | Don't believe your own words? Your body will betray you | Leaders need to give up control to execute strategy well Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( January 18, 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 [] [Billie Jean King champions the business of women's sports]( [Billie Jean King champions the business of women's sports]( King (Matt McNulty/Getty Images) Tennis champion Billie Jean King has been in the forefront of championing women's sports, athletes, research and policy, and has created a vast personal and professional network of women's sports business leaders, athletes and sponsors. Her Women's Sports Foundation has sponsored research, funded local sports programming, advocated for different policies, offered training and travel funds for up-and-coming athletes, while her investment arm BJK Enterprises does consulting, strategic investing, marketing, has funded a media company, teams and a tech startup that analyzes athletic performance using body sensors. Full Story: [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (1/14) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Today's leadership [] [Don't believe your own words? Your body will betray you]( [Don't believe your own words? Your body will betray you]( (Koh Sze Kiat/Getty Images) Leaders say a lot of words, but their body language says much more depending on such aspects as posture, eye contact and whether or not they smile and other facial expressions, writes author and body language expert Carol Kinsey Goman, who recommends leaders think about the image they want their body to project. "Using body language to project leadership presence is no longer a 'nice-to-have' skill, but rather an essential ingredient that affects your ability to gain trust, create relationships, and, ultimately, drive results," Goman writes. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (1/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Leaders need to give up control to execute strategy well]( Successful changing of an organization usually requires leaders to "let go," writes Margot Cairnes, mentor to CEOs and boards. "Leaders wanting to run extraordinarily successful strategic change processes need to be prepared to reach past the known, stretch themselves on every level of their being and have the courage to bring their people along with them," Cairnes says. Full Story: [CEOWorld Magazine]( (1/12) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Startups with female co-founders get record funding share]( Although the total amount of venture funding for startups co-founded by women declined last year, their share of overall funding surged, according to PitchBook. "The share of female co-founded VC capital was the highest on record in 2023, at 20.7% of total US VC funding," write Jordan Rubio and Rosie Bradbury of PitchBook. "For female-only founded startups, however, that number was just 2%, the lowest it's been since 2016." Full Story: [PitchBook]( (1/10) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Are all your team members willing to speak their mind?]( Employees who know they needn't be afraid of you or worry about being judged likely feel safe, and maintaining an atmosphere of respectful communication can keep it that way, leadership coach Lolly Daskal writes. Encouraging open dialogue among everyone promotes inclusivity, another way Daskal suggests to help workers feel safe. Full Story: [Lolly Daskal]( (1/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Read the latest from SmartBrief [] - [Embracing the power of sub-optimization]( SmartBrief/Leadership (1/11) [] - [How thought leaders are using AI]( SmartBrief/Leadership (1/10) Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [The Communication Process: Skills to achieve desired outcomes]( - [Microsoft Excel: Unlocking the Power of Spreadsheets]( - [The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2023 - Part 1]( - [ChatGPT Newbie: Your Essential Handbook for Navigating ChatGPT]( - [The Visual You - Why Body Language Matters When You Speak]( [] Diversity & Inclusion Trends [] [DEI efforts at Relias focus on discussions]( Relias has updated its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion over the past several years to include online learning, employee resource group discussions about bias, podcasts and book clubs dealing with race and accessibility, says Tina Krebs, chief people officer. "All these discussion-based activities have driven an increase in the number of ERGs at Relias in the last year, as well as resulted in more issues being raised to HR when people have concerns and a stronger awareness at the leadership levels of what we should be focused on to drive an inclusive culture," Krebs says. Full Story: [StrategicCHRO360]( (1/17) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Why employers should take menopause seriously]( Employers can support employees who are going through menopause by asking questions in surveys pertaining to menopause, offering menopause benefits such as screenings, online counseling and treatment coverage, and raising awareness about symptoms and available company benefits, write Bradley Schurman, CEO of Human Change, and podcast host Tamsen Fadal. "When menopause benefits are available and women know about them, some six in 10 report a positive impact on their work, allowing them to bring their best selves to the workplace," write Schurman and Fadal. Full Story: [Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model)]( (1/11) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Overlooked creators get support from new Adobe fund]( To improve diversity in the film industry, Adobe and its foundation have established the Adobe Film & TV Fund with $6 million to partner with nonprofits that support creators from underrepresented groups. The goal is to offer hands-on opportunities through apprenticeships, fellowships and mentoring. Full Story: [The Hollywood Reporter]( (1/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [] Big things are best said, are almost always said, in small words. 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