Compliance and ethics. Compliance and ethics? Compliance AND ethics! Those three words are said very differently depending on who you work for and what topic you’re discussing. In the financial services industry, the focus has been on Compliance with a capital “C.” In the 10 years since the financial crisis, regulators have enacted sweeping changes…
We often think of bias and prejudice as rooted in ignorance. But as psychologist Paul Bloom seeks to show, prejudice is often natural, rational … even moral. The key, says Bloom, is to understand how our own biases work — so we can take control when they go wrong. By: Paul Bloom This video is…
Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories — and maybe, a way forward. By: Dan Pink This video is shared under a Creative Commons license (BY-NC-ND 4.0). Please…
We get stronger, not weaker, by engaging with ideas and people we disagree with, says Zachary R. Wood. In an important talk about finding common ground, Wood makes the case that we can build empathy and gain understanding by engaging tactfully and thoughtfully with controversial ideas and unfamiliar perspectives. “Tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn’t make…
Project Aristotle studied the characteristics that create effective teams at Google and offered tips for helping teams take action to increase team effectiveness: Psychological safety: Team members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable. (Actions: Solicit input and opinions, and share personal and work style preferences.) Dependability: Members reliably complete quality work on time. (Actions:…
Every day in all of our roles, who we are and how we show up makes a difference in how well we execute our roles, how others are impacted and how we create good and bad narratives about ourselves. Who we are has many complexities but is essentially made up of our personality characteristics, attitudes,…
Q: When dealing with an ethical dilemma in my organization, should I gain input from others first? A: I would highly suggest gaining additional insight from a variety of organizational stakeholders before making any ethical decision. My father gave me excellent advice years ago: You must seek and consider all sides of an argument in…
Motivation can be thwarted in many ways. Fortunately, the research provides some great tools for diagnosing and improving motivation. Q: How can I incentivize my employees to produce more? A: Employee performance is generally a function of ability, opportunity and motivation. The first thing you should do is determine which of these factors are contributing…
Perhaps the most important caveat is to avoid making excuses. Q: How do companies that have shown consistent declines communicate positive messages that don’t feel hollow both internally and externally? A: The messaging will be distinctly different if market changes primarily caused the decline than if there have been failed initiatives by management. Only after…