Why leaders should embrace "fierce internal debate"

Win or lose, the best leaders can remain steady | practice (split each time) | Why leaders should embrace "fierce internal debate"
Created for you  |  Unknown Title at Unknown Company
For more relevant content - Update Your Profile  |  Web Version
November 4, 2024
CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF LinkedInFacebookX
SmartBrief on Leadership
Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve.SIGN UP ⋅   SHARE
ADVERTISEMENT
Leading the Way
Win or lose, the best leaders can remain steady
(anilakkus/Getty Images)
Whether you suffer victory or defeat as a leader, it's important to remain true to your values by being "resilient in defeat, gracious in success," writes Moshe Engelberg, an author and executive coach, who emphasizes learning the necessary self-awareness to be transparent, centered and unattached to outcomes. "Steadiness isn't boring -- it's inspiring. It lets your team know they can trust you, no matter what," Engelberg notes.
Full Story: Inc. (tiered subscription model) (10/31) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: Whether you win or lose, Engelberg recommends being honest with your team about what happened, acknowledging their efforts, framing "setbacks as opportunities to learn," and asking for their feedback. "As a leader, it's easy to get caught up in the highs and lows -- celebrating like a hero one day and feeling like a zero the next."
Position Yourself for Today's Job Market
Earn your graduate degree online from Thomas Edison State University. With programs ranging from business to healthcare, cybersecurity to educational leadership and more, we'll help you take your career to the next level. Learn more about TESU today.
ADVERTISEMENT:
SmartBrief on Leadership
Why leaders should embrace "fierce internal debate"
(VectorMine/Getty Images)
Healthy debates within a company can significantly strengthen strategies, enhance accountability and create more efficient solutions, writes Steve Gardiner, the CEO of Nature's Bakery. By encouraging "fierce internal debate" and ensuring all voices are heard, teams can pressure-test ideas and move forward with a unified strategy, Gardiner notes.
Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (11/1) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: Every team will have conflicting ideas on how to solve problems best, but it's the leader's responsibility to harness that diversity and transform that into a positive outcome for the company, Gardiner writes. "Having solid processes in place helps your team navigate those imperfect moments and instills the confidence needed to avoid playing it too safe or too slow."
Help employees make informed decisions.
As an employer, you can help workers make the right decisions about Medicare. Our resources offer guidance and advice to help you focus the discussion. Learn more.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Smarter Communication
If you're feeling creatively blocked, Jotform founder Aytekin Tank recommends visiting with your teams, bouncing your ideas off of them and listening closely to their suggestions. Tank suggests volunteering as a notetaker in meetings to focus on listening, scheduling one-on-one meetings to encourage input from introverted employees and creating recap documents to reflect on ideas and manage time effectively.
Full Story: Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (11/1) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Put it into practice: If you take on the meeting notetaker idea, Tank recommends recording each person's input (it's okay to use AI to take those notes) and resisting the urge to offer your solutions and instead push your team to brainstorm while you listen. "I've found that when team members know I'm interested in their thoughts and actively listening -- rather than leading the conversation -- they're more motivated to share their ideas."
Free eBooks and Resources
Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors
Smarter Strategy
Smarter Working
A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer
Silence pinging notifications to boost productivity
(Pixabay)
Achieving a state of flow is essential for peak productivity, as it allows for deep focus and uninterrupted work, but notifications pinging, popping up and buzzing can keep you from reaching this state by distracting you and breaking your momentum, writes Artis Rozentals, CEO of DeskTime. Rozentals suggests turning off or scheduling notifications to maintain productivity and advises leaders to set an example for their teams by managing notifications effectively.
Full Story: Entrepreneur (10/29) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Daily Diversion
Black holes may contribute to universe's expansion
(Pixabay)
Astronomers proposed a link between black holes and dark energy, potentially explaining the universe's expansion, according to a study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, though researchers said that further observations are needed to confirm the connection. "The two phenomena were consistent with each other -- as new black holes were made in the deaths of massive stars, the amount of dark energy in the universe increased in the right way," said Duncan Farrah, study co-author.
Full Story: Live Science (10/31) 
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Most Read by CEOs
The most-clicked stories of the past week by SmartBrief on Leadership readers
SmartBreak: Question of the Day
Computer historians consider Nov. 2, 1988, as the official date the Morris computer virus was unleashed, infecting 10% of internet users back then. How many computers would have been online then?
Vote2,000
Vote60,000
Vote100,000
Vote2 million
About The Editor
Candace Chellew
Candace Chellew
Chellew (Photo credit: Lester Boykin)
On Friday, I wrote a commentary about an article that focused on how to handle the stress your team may be feeling due to personal or professional challenges. I encouraged leaders to only acknowledge their stress to trusted friends, family, colleagues and advisors.

Ted B. wrote to disagree gently, saying, "I think that sometimes sharing  your stress with one's team can increase the team bond that exists."

A leader that hides their stress, Ted mused, "can lead to people perceiving one as phony."

I have to agree with Ted, and on reflection, I should have tempered my own words to fit his suggestion. Leaders should convey that they, too, are stressed because it does let the team know that they are human and even though they feel stressed too, they have the skill to help us all get through challenges together.

In today's brief, several articles point the way for leaders to achieve that balance of managing and admitting their stress while leading their teams forward. Not every endeavor will lead to success, but it is the steadiness of the leader in both victory and defeat that maintains their teams' confidence in their leadership, according to executive coach Moshe Engelberg.

In addition, it is a strong team (and company) that not only tolerates but encourages vigorous debate between their team members. Everyone on your team has different experiences and worldviews, and they all deserve a hearing, Steve Gardiner writes. It is ultimately that diversity that is the strength of any team and learning how to hear each other without judgment or fear can only make a team -- and company -- stronger.

As Aytekin Tank notes, taking time to listen to your team and colleagues deeply can spark new ideas and innovation. When everyone is welcome to participate, no matter how far-fetched their ideas may seem, companies are always enhanced by hearing every voice.

It's up to the leader to make final decisions, of course. Still, when we genuinely listen to one another and allow each person to feel like they've been heard and understood, we create a strong culture where everyone feels like they belong, even if they disagree on some things.

In this way, whether our ideas succeed or go down in defeat, we have created enough common ground that everyone can remain standing together. What creates the stress is the unknown that comes after a final decision. Will that decision tear us apart, or will we find a way to remain steady and move forward together, no matter the outcome?

The best leaders are those who can give us a sense of belonging and the security we need to unify and move forward no matter what stressors or challenges come our way. The leaders we need are the ones who invite that healthy debate but, in the end, make us believe that we are all in this together. (Because we are.)

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. And while you're at it, please send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off so we can share them.
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free.
Help Spread the Word
SHARE
Or copy and share your personalized link:
smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=ozrlmJyztp
When you start out in Hollywood it's 99% 'get outta here!' rejection and you have to develop the hide of a rhinoceros, but you always have to keep the spirit of a butterfly inside.
Teri Garr,
actor
1944-2024
LinkedIn X Facebook Email
 
SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - Browse our portfolio
Sign Up  |    Update Profile  |    Advertise with SmartBrief
Unsubscribe  |    Privacy policy
CONTACT US: FEEDBACK  |    ADVERTISE
SmartBrief Future
Copyright © 2024 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved.
A division of Future US LLC
Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.

Older messages

Your team is stressed, so focus on what you can control

Friday, November 1, 2024

Your team is stressed, so focus on what you can control | practice (split each time) | 5 steps to instill vital behaviors in employees Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

How to help Gen Z overcome deliberation paralysis

Thursday, October 31, 2024

How to help Gen Z overcome deliberation paralysis | practice (split each time) | How pumpkins can help you stop procrastination and delay Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

Want to build leadership skills? Talk about politics

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Want to build leadership skills? Talk about politics | practice (split each time) | Why the best coaches inspire others instead of teach Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

[Webinar] Build richer consumer goods and retail analytics

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Join us on Thursday, October 31st, 2 PM Eastern 11 AM Pacific Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Web Version This is a paid advertisement for SmartBrief readers. The content does not necessarily

What one leader can teach about leaving a good legacy

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

How "slow is fast" can boost team performance | practice (split each time) | What one leader can teach about leaving a good legacy Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at

You Might Also Like

Managing unpredictability: 5 lessons from a safari

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Managing unpredictability: 5 lessons from a safari | practice (split each time) | 5 questions to ask when you disagree with a superior Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

Talk to your boss before quitting, but be strategic

Monday, December 2, 2024

Being blamed at work? How to stay calm and carry on | practice (split each time) | Talk to your boss before quitting, but be strategic Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

460 — Drew Barontini

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Chief Product Officer at Differential ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏​ ͏

Weekly Jobs Update - 28 Nov, 2024

Thursday, November 28, 2024

New jobs at Fuel Labs, Conduit, Goldsky, Avara, P2P.org, Arrakis Finance, Gelato, Everstake, Autonomys Network, Symphony Labs, Re7 Capital, Octant, Nimbus, ZetaChain and more ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

NoDesk: Issue #346

Thursday, November 28, 2024

A weekly newsletter with the best new remote jobs, stories and ideas from the remote work community, and occasional offbeat pieces to feed your curiosity. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

4 Companies with a 4 Day Week 🔥

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Plus: a short history of the 9-5...͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

How savoring the moment can improve your leadership

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

How savoring the moment can improve your leadership | practice (split each time) | 5 ways senior leaders can build a positive work culture Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at

When your top talent leaves, seek to understand why

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

How to master AI as a leader, before it masters you | practice (split each time) | When your top talent leaves, seek to understand why Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

When your top talent leaves, seek to understand why

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

How to master AI as a leader, before it masters you | practice (split each time) | When your top talent leaves, seek to understand why Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Unknown Title at Unknown

[Arbinger Institute Research Report]: 2025 workplace trends

Monday, November 25, 2024

Download the Report Created for newsletterest1@gmail.com | Web Version This is a paid advertisement for SmartBrief readers. The content does not necessarily reflect the view of SmartBrief or its