"Business fluency" gives your team better insight

Sometimes leaders need to push past 10 ... to 11, writes leadership coach Scott Cochrane, referring to a scene in the movie "This Is Spinal Tap." Going above and beyond is sometimes needed -- but it's important "to know when it's OK to pull out all the stops," such as the business model or employees being stuck on cruise control or employees going too long without a big win, Cochrane explains.

Put it into practice: A large or complex project or an extraordinary window of opportunity are two other reasons to amp up past 100%. Beyond that, beware: "If you over-do it, you'll risk burning out the team," Cochrane writes. 

Business fluency -- an understanding of broad organizational operations and objectives, as well as various employees' roles rather than titles -- helps a team "understand how their positions fit into the broader picture of [an] organization's goals and projects," making them stronger team members and ambassadors for a company, says Erin Mercer, Jackson National Life Insurance Company's internal communications director. Mercer explains the content and storytelling process Jackson uses to share insights with employees on products, revenue, departmental collaboration and corporate strategy.

Put it into practice: Start with just one team as you develop your road map for business fluency, then work to expand the program across the company. Jackson's program, which has evolved, uses its intranet as a hub for short pieces of content, feature stories, employee spotlights and one- or two-minute videos -- and rolls right into ongoing professional development material, Mercer explains.

The incremental nature of innovation is more about the way you communicate with yourself than the product or strategy you're striving for. Avoid sticking with an ineffective mindset and learn to "iterate your own thinking by being open to new interpretations of what you experience," Innovator Mindset founder Dennis Stauffer writes.

Put it into practice: Iteration can be learned, but just like gradually learning to play the guitar, you might hit a few wrong chords along the way. "Mental iteration is a powerful life skill -- and healthy innovation habit -- that also helps you innovate yourself," Stauffer writes.

Getting a fresh start early in the morning can set the tone for the day when willpower is strong, Michael Colon writes. Morning warriors tackle early workouts and have time for healthier breakfasts, Colon notes, adding, "Quality time increases when fewer distractions divert us from our daily goals."

A fan of Boston Dynamics' robot dog Spot was barking up the wrong tree when he thought a video snippet of a fluffy blue-and-white sheepdog was a CGI dog dancing with Spot. It actually is a regular Spot beside a $75,000 Spot wearing a glittery costume that helps Spot "explore the intersections of robotics, art, and entertainment," the video description explains.

It's been a blast filling in for Candace on Leadership; alas, this is my last day. Today's top story mentioning "This Is Spinal Tap" is a gift for my husband, who loves that movie.

I've kept my promise to provide an animal-related Daily Diversion today. I'm an enormous fan of Boston Dynamics' robot dog Spot. (Did you know he has brothers?) My favorite Spot dance video ever is to "Uptown Funk" -- and I could watch it every day. Hyundai also used several dancing Spots in a video with South Korean boy band BTS.

Just in case a robotic dog doesn't give you the warm fuzzies, I haven't let you down. I'm sharing an amazing set of 21 pictures featuring Pan the dog and Baloo the cat being best friends on their travels, a heartwarming story about a rescued cat that now models for Target and a reminder that it's kitten season at animal shelters and a great time to adopt one. Give me a shout if these do the trick.

Thanks for putting up with my iteration (see what I did there?) of SmartBrief on Leadership this week. Have a great weekend!