How does one listen well? The answer—as revealed in an exhaustive review of the listening research published between 2000 and 2021—is often built on the speaker’s perception. For example, some common signs of a good listener include: acknowledging the speaker through non-verbal reactions (nodding the head) or verbal reactions (“hmm,” “yes”); continuing to watch the […]
Read More… from The Listening Paradox: Why Listening Is Often Difficult
When we find ourselves in social situations that are unfamiliar, unsettling, or confusing, our tendency is not to react immediately, but rather to take a moment and think about what we want to do or say—that is, we appraise the situation to determine the appropriate behaviour in which to engage. As we appraise the situation, […]
Read More… from Don’t Let Employees Become Too Inhibited to Do the Right Thing
Despite the focus by managers and thought leaders on the power of employee engagement to improve individual and organizational results, the world of business seems to continue to be befuddled by how to get employees more engaged. A new study explores the question of engagement at the team level, since in a world in which […]
Read More… from Shades of Grey: The Nuances of Team Disengagement
While a great deal of attention has been paid to the performance and cost advantages of hiring superstars, less attention is paid to employees at the other end of the spectrum: toxic workers who undermine the organization’s productivity and incur significant costs regulatory and legal liabilities. New research shows that avoiding toxic workers (or converting […]
Read More… from Avoiding Toxic Workers Is More Profitable Than Hiring Superstars
Can organizations of vastly different sizes collaborate effectively? An intriguing case study based on 25 interviews with the actors involved offers a sobering answer: perhaps, but it will be a challenge. The case study concerns a collaborative effort among SMEs in the U.S. to enable and market apprenticeships. The goal of the collaboration, pseudonymously called […]
Read More… from Why Goliaths and Davids Are Poor Network Partners
Friendship in the workplace can be a positive factor as friendly colleagues collaborate harmoniously, share information easily and support each other’s work. On the negative side, friendships can also lead to ‘friendship cliques’, in which the members work closely with each other but consider non-clique members outsiders, and perhaps competitors. Members belonging to a clique […]
All of us belong to certain social groups in society. Our ‘social identities’ are based on these groups, which can involve gender, nationality, profession, heritage, political affiliation, hobby or family roles, to name a few. Thus, a person might identify herself as an Italian-American female lawyer, devoted wife and mother, committed Republican and runner. There […]
People react differently to decisions based on what they perceive was the fairness of the outcome as well as the fairness of the process — and whether or not they trusted the decision makers in the first place. For example, if people trust a manager, they are more likely to see both the outcome and […]
Read More… from How People React to the Fairness of Decisions: Trust Makes a Difference
Employee victimization continues to be a problem in the workplace. New research reveals how through their job performance victims themselves may be unwittingly motivating their tormentors. In any group, there will be different levels of performance: some employees will perform at a high level, some at a low level, and some at an average level. […]
Read More… from When Non-Average Performers Are Targeted by Bullies
Why don’t many employees say something when they see something wrong in the workplace, or when they are unfairly attacked by their boss? Why do they sit silent in meetings even though they may have a relevant suggestion or comment to add to the discussion? These are examples of defensive employee silence, when employees stay […]
Read More… from Overcoming Our Evolutionary Fears to Speak Up to Authority
