Recent corporate scandals as well as the recognition that great innovative ideas can come from lower-level and front-line employees are two important reasons that the most successful organization are those in which people at all levels are not afraid to speak up. An organization’s employees must feel comfortable and safe enough to alert leaders to […]
Read More… from Speaking Truth to Power Is More Complex Than You Think
The best middle managers influence and inspire their subordinates to higher levels of performance. Research has shown that the secret to being an inspirational middle manager is behavioural integrity, which can be summarized as ‘walking the talk’. Subordinates become motivated and engaged when they see that the behaviour of managers aligns with what they say. […]
Read More… from Middle Managers-Walking the Talk Needs Top Management Support
Many previous studies have examined how personal benefits or the refusal to exert the required effort (also known as ‘enjoying the quiet life’) can lead managers to take actions that hurt their companies. The recent research by Todd Gormley of Olin and David Matsa of Kellogg focuses on an overlooked third motivation for managers acting […]
Read More… from The Unintended Consequences of Risk Averse Managers
The quality of the relationship between a leader and a follower or subordinate can have a major impact on the satisfaction and happiness, and ultimately the performance of that subordinate. Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory is the theory that studies leader-follower relationship quality and its impact on the success of the individuals involved and the organization […]
Read More… from Why You Need to Mend Any Poor Relationships With Your Employees
Psychopaths are manipulative, bullying, lying and egocentric people without a conscious. They use coercion and intimidation to get what they want, and never have a sliver of remorse for their deceit or the pain that they cause. Some psychopaths become criminals and end in prison. Others, called corporate psychopaths, use lies and intimidation to succeed […]
Read More… from Corporate Psychopaths: A Menace to Your Organization
How important is corporate culture to the success of a company, and what factors play into developing an effective or ineffective culture? A team of researchers from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School explored these questions through an extensive survey of 1348 CEOs and CFOs, followed up by in-depth interviews with […]
Read More… from Corporate Culture: A Key Drivers of a Firm’s Value
The research is consistent and unequivocal: media multitasking — that is, doing multiple tasks at the same time with at least one of those tasks involving some kind of media — reduces efficiency. Studying in front of the TV is less productive than studying with the TV off. However, media multitasking continues to increase in […]
Read More… from Media Multitasking: Unproductive but Gratifying
How do you respond to stress? The common wisdom is that stress is debilitating — that is, if you are stressed, you are less effective and productive. However, a series of three studies conducted by a team of researchers led by Yale Ph.D. candidate Alia Crum (now a professor at Stanford) and including current Yale […]
Read More… from How The Right Mindset Turns Stress Into a Positive Force
Many companies make an effort to promote and compensate their employees based on performance rather than, as in the past, seniority. Specifically, companies will implement merit-based routines and written policies and performance management systems, all with the goal of ensuring that the most effective and successful employees and managers are compensated based on their performance. […]
Read More… from Meritocracy at Work: Well-Intention Systems Can Cause the Reverse
Self-determination theory describes four types of motivation, moving on a spectrum from other-directed to self-directed. External motivation is at the other-directed end of the spectrum. Motivation is based on what others can give you (e.g. money, promotions, stock options and even praise) or what others can take away (e.g. demotion, termination). Introjected motivation is more […]
Read More… from Motivation Profiles: Pay and Reward Vs Fulfilling Work
