The word “ask” in the question poses an interesting ethical conundrum. Q: Our company recently released a group of disgruntled employees who have since written negative reviews online. Is it appropriate to ask long-term employees to write about their more positive experiences? A: The short answer is that it would not be appropriate. We live…
What is it about unfairness? Whether it’s not being invited to a friend’s wedding or getting penalized for bad luck or an honest mistake, unfairness often makes us so upset that we can’t think straight. And it’s not just a personal issue — it’s also bad for business, says Marco Alvera. He explains how his…
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…
Each year, one in seven large corporations commits fraud. Why? To find out, Alexander Wagner takes us inside the economics, ethics and psychology of doing the right thing. Join him for an introspective journey down the slippery slopes of deception as he helps us understand why people behave the way they do. By: Alexander Wagner…
Organizations are often run according to “the superchicken model,” where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others. And yet, this isn’t what drives the most high-achieving teams. Business leader Margaret Heffernan observes that it is social cohesion “built every coffee break, every time one team member asks another for help” that leads…
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:…
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…
Q: Given that I have no formal business training, the simple questions in running the show always get me. Is there a ceiling for salaries for managers (adapting for inflation, of course), or do they just grow infinitely with our growth? A: Congratulations on your business success. Since you are the one running the show,…
Q: How can I create a culture of organizational creativity? A: Fostering organizational creativity requires making creativity a strategic priority. Making time to generate ideas or think is seen as a luxury or something that’s done during annual planning or in a crisis. Organizations that have creative cultures dedicate time to generating new ideas. Fostering…
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