Individuals engaged in contentious conversations about controversial issues rarely communicate to others in the discussion that they are willing to respectfully consider opposing viewpoints—what social scientists “receptiveness.” One reason may be that these individuals are indeed not “receptive” to contrary opinions. Another reason, however, may be that they do not know how to communicate their […]
Read More… from “I respect your opinion”: How to Improve the Exchange of Opposing Views
Companies recognize today that helping employees find meaning and purpose in their work will maximize employee satisfaction, motivation, engagement, and performance. The challenge for leaders is how to increase meaning at work. A team of researchers from five leading U.S. business schools (Virginia Darden, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, and Harvard) make the case […]
The self-concept refers to how people think of themselves. I am a good person, I am a good listener, I am impatient — these are the kinds of ideas and thoughts that people have of themselves (i.e. self-perception) that contribute to their self-concept. People are complex human beings, however, and the self-concept may differ depending […]
Read More… from How Bringing Self to Work Inspires Ethical Behaviour
Creativity occurs when pieces of information are put together in novel and useful ways. ‘Information’ here is used broadly, and includes objects, symbols and facts. This broad concept of information is known as ‘declarative information.’ For example, a chair consists of three pieces of declarative information: a seat, legs, and a back. Information can be […]
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Is sarcasm in the workplace as destructive as usually assumed? While sarcasm — in which people express one thing by saying the exact opposite — is rampant in organizations, most leadership and communication books urge people to avoid sarcastic remarks, which are considered a negative form of communication. However, a team of researchers argue that […]
An investigation into the problems of the 1973 Ford Pinto, a car susceptible to catastrophic explosions when rear-ended, revealed that Ford’s engineers had calculated that the company could save $11 per car at a cost of 180 burn deaths. While perhaps an exaggerated case of numbers pushing aside moral and ethical considerations, there is a […]
Read More… from How a Numbers-Crunching Culture Can Increase Unethical Behaviour
Academic research supports the anecdotal evidence that people value moral standards. And yet, academic research also supports the suggestion that people don’t always seem to act in concert with their stated beliefs. There are certain conditions or situations in which people allow themselves to loosen their moral standards. A team of leading researchers in the […]
Read More… from When Financially Deprived Employees May Shift Moral Standards
A talent shortage combined with today’s intense push for constant growth and competitive differentiation can make hiring the right people a difficult balancing act: Organizations want to hire qualified experts with specialized skills but they also want to build up their talent pool of broad knowledge and general skills for greater flexibility and agility. This […]
Read More… from The Generalist Bias: Why Specialists Are Undervalued
