Want to become a better leader? Take a walk

Want to become a better leader? Take a walk | practice (split each time) | Build a culture of connection for resilient HR Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( October 3, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](   Leading the Way [] [Want to become a better leader? Take a walk]( [Want to become a better leader? Take a walk]( (VioletaStoimenova/Getty Images) Inviting a direct report or colleague on a walk outside, especially if the conversation may be difficult, can give leaders a chance to enhance communication and feelings of goodwill, write Laurence Stybel and Maryanne Peabody, the co-founders of Stybel Peabody Associates, Inc. They also recommend taking walks to inspire "whoa" moments of awe that can boost creativity and provide new perspectives, which can improve problem-solving skills. Full Story: [Psychology Today]( (10/1) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Taking a walk to search for ["whoa" moments of awe intentionally can help reduce stress and anxiety]( and can result in noticing beauty and other inspiring things around you, Stybel and Peabody write. "The more you open yourself up to 'whoa' moments, the more creative the perspective you bring to yourself and your team." [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Build a culture of connection for resilient HR]( [Build a culture of connection for resilient HR]( (Teera Konakan/Getty Images) Human resources executives face mounting pressures from both management and employees, often leading to high turnover and stress, and to combat that Michael Lee Stallard and Katharine P. Stallard recommend cultivating a culture of connection within HR teams and across organizations. Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella serves as a model for this approach, they write, having successfully enhanced Microsoft's workplace culture and financial performance through connection-focused leadership. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (10/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: When leaders see their workers as human beings and not tools to use to enhance shareholder value, [they will create a connected and engaged workforce](, write the Stallards. "The reality is that human beings have needs in the workplace for respect, recognition, belonging, autonomy, personal growth, meaning and progress." [] [Read more]( from Michael Lee Stallard and Katharine P. Stallard on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [How small actions can have a big impact on leadership]( Leadership is deeply rooted in relationships, which are shaped by countless daily micro-interactions -- such as tone of voice, timing or body language -- that can significantly influence the quality and effectiveness of those relationships, writes executive coach Sarah Langslow. "The work for you to do is, as far as possible, to eliminate or transform those micro-interactions which are at best frustrating to others and, at worst, cause harm, even when unintended," Langslow advises. Full Story: [Chief Executive]( (10/2) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Langslow gives an example of an unpredictable CEO she once worked for [whose mood swings and micro-interactions eroded staff trust](. "As a leader, as someone who people look to for guidance, it's even more important to consider exactly what messages your micro-interactions are sending." 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Full Story: [LinkedIn]( (9/30) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Want your dog to understand you? Speak slowly]( [Want your dog to understand you? Speak slowly]( (Pixabay) Dogs can understand human speech better when we speak slowly, and many people instinctively adjust their speech patterns when speaking to dogs, according to a study in PLOS Biology. Humans speak at a rate of about four syllables per second, dogs vocalize at a rate of about two utterances per second, and people typically slow their speech to about three syllables per second when they talk to dogs. Full Story: [The Chronicle (Newcastle, England)]( (10/1) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBrief Podcast Network [] [BCI's Miksad outlines the big picture for batteries]( With Climate Week in full swing, Battery Council International President and Executive Director Roger Miksad explains how batteries of various chemistries are advancing to power things like data centers, EVs, microgrids and more. Miksad also provides an update on the circular economy for batteries and highlights how policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and the proposed USA Batteries Act are shaping the future of the battery industry. Full Story: [Renewable Energy SmartPod]( (9/25) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] When US President Ronald Reagan called out Russian Premier Mikhail Gorbachev at the Berlin Wall in 1987, who was the chancellor of West Germany? [Vote]( [Willy Brandt]( [Vote]( [Helmut Kohl]( [Vote]( [Angela Merkel]( [Vote]( [Helmut Schmidt]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Chellew (Photo credit: Lester Boykin) Two of the universities I have worked for were located in beautiful downtown areas, so I would take regular walks around campus and the connected business areas every afternoon (weather permitting). I didn't know it then, but [I was taking those "whoa" walks that Laurence Stybel and Maryanne Peabody recommend for leaders](. Every day, I would see something that awed me, whether it was the beauty of the green spaces on campus, the architecture of the old buildings or watching students scurrying between classes or taking a nap on the lawn. There was always something to notice and appreciate. I would return from my walks refreshed and ready to get back into my work, feeling more creative and calm. Their advice to take challenging conversations on a walk is rooted in research that found that when we walk "shoulder to shoulder" with another person while talking, we experience more profound feelings of goodwill and collaboration. When we walk, we're not gazing at each other's faces, so we're more intent on listening to the other person than we are trying to read their expression, which may account for the different feelings we experience. I invite you to take a walk sometime today if you can. Whether you're out walking to discover those moments of awe or to chat with a co-worker or direct report, you'll come back in a better state of mind. 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 any feedback you'd like to share? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). 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