The Psychology of Resiliency

“Psychologically, we all have long COVID by this point,” says Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School in her new research. Although some of us may not have been directly affected by the virus itself, not a single person has been able to escape the long term psychological stress. So how do we thrive - and work - through these times?

We would all like to think that we are learning and improving through our (many) failures over the past few years, but Ms. Eskreis-Winkler’s research says otherwise. Because failures, especially repeated failures, threaten our egos, “People often choose to disengage. They choose not to attend to their failures, and as a result, they learn very little.”

Many of us are experiencing these setbacks on an almost daily basis. This kind of experience does not lead to the resiliency we all need right now. The good news is, leadership can take steps to create a work culture that embodies a ‘growth mindset’, and lives up to the resiliency goals we all aspire to. Check out Kellogg’s new article featuring this new research, and what leadership can do to help change the perspective.

Leadership Goals Achieved

Manager, manage thyself. That’s how that saying goes, right? In all seriousness, though, once someone rises through the ranks into leadership or upper management, busy day to day tasks can interfere with achieving goals. It’s important to take time and active steps to achieving personal goals, as well as helping a team achieve collective goals.

Many in leadership and middle management can find this difficult when any given workday is filled with putting out metaphorical fires and answering questions. HBR’s new article by Diana Kander seeks to remedy this, and offers 3 actionable steps to holding oneself accountable. You know how to set goals, now see how you can change your habits to make them an achievable reality.

Feedback That Builds Confidence

Wharton’s blogs have been shared here many times for their science-based insight, fascinating interviews, and wide array of topics. One of the more interesting series are their “nano tools”; brain hacks that leaders can use to immediately impact team motivation and success.

The newest nano tool to be featured concerns performance reviews and feedback, and the ethos “they can because they think they can”. Like the Little Engine that Could, employees are inspired by leadership’s confidence in them and will more often than not rise to the occasion. The new article contains not only action steps, but real-life examples of how those in leadership use them. Read up and see how inspiring words can drastically increase productivity, foster a growth mindset, and result in more overall employee retention.

Taking Humor Seriously

There’s an unfortunate belief among some in leadership that in order to be taken seriously one must be solemn, with an attitude that is positively all business all the time. Two Stanford professors, however, have set out to change that mindset.

Behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker and corporate strategist Naomi Bagdonas have presented research and now teach a course at Stanford based on the power of humor in business. Specifically, how leadership can use humor to strengthen team bonds, problem solve, build resilience, and even inspire creativity.

Last year they were featured at a TED Conference in Monterey, where they outlined just how to harness the power of humor. Take a few minutes to be inspired, and channel your own inner stand-up comedian.

A New Year in Which to Lead

Here it is: 2022. We have arrived. After the tumultuousness of the past 5 years, and in particular the past 2 years, we are all looking for some hope as we enter this new year. Hence, we are all seeing more “new year, new you” comments than ever before. But instead of reinventing oneself, perhaps it’s time we reinvent how the C-suite and business owners lead with grace.

Enter: The Five Graces, a recent article featured in Chief Executive Magazine by Gary D. Burnison. Mr. Burnison defines grace as the goodwill of human nature predisposed to helping others. In his inspiring and insightful article he describes five qualities of a leader: gratitude, resilience, aspiration, courage and empathy. To truly be a grounded and influential leader, one must embody all of these. Take a few minutes to read this brief article and use this opportunity to realign your priorities for the new year.

Shared Leadership and WFH

Although shared leadership might not be something that most executives aspire to, it may now be part of the new work landscape hastened by the global pandemic. With the omicron COVID variant on the rise and experts warning of a post-holiday surge in cases, the idea of returning to an office full time is looking less and less likely in the near future. Not to mention that most employees do not want to return to an office full time (76% wish to stay remote, according to a new study).

So, with most leaders coming to terms with this reality over the past year, they are now looking to maximize remote efficacy. New research (penned by the same author) shows “when collaborators are separated by geography, typical approaches to leadership are not as effective. Instead, “shared leadership,” which involves dividing up leader responsibilities across multiple people, was more helpful the more teams work virtually across locations.”

Check out the full article from Chief Executive Magazine and read the recommended strategies for transitioning to a shared work team, and sharing responsibility in our newer, even more virtual world.

How Inclusivity Can End the Great Resignation

Several weeks back I shared an article from Knowledge@Wharton about how inclusivity in the workplace, and making sure employees’ personal stories are represented can be the turning point in talent retention. Recently, the pros at Wharton published a follow up article in which they share the keys to avoiding the Great Resignation. Spoiler alert: it’s all in the management.

Their research shows that at every level of management, from supervisors all the way to C-suite executives, fair practices matter. It’s not simply a matter of managing well, either. Managers work tirelessly to create an environment where everyone feels valued, represented, and heard. If management can achieve this, talent will be less inclined to seek other employment options. In fact, as they state in the article: “Companies that earn a reputation for being a place where everyone is seen, heard and valued may not have to worry about the Great Resignation.” Give it a read to see how your company can benefit.

How Cognitive Biases are Affecting Your Reality

We all have our own individual world views, and each of these views presents a new set of challenges. A very interesting new article from Visual Capitalist explores 24 of the top avenues of cognitive bias that affect our everyday lives.

While it’s nice to think that we go out into the world with clear heads and no faulty assumptions, this is not the reality we live in. Much like a house of mirrors distorts our reflection, our cognitive biases distort our perception of reality. Whether our assumptions concern with balance of justice in society, or how others perceive the way we present ourselves, each of us brings our assumptions to our individual world views. Read up on the top 24 biases so you can check them when they crop up in your everyday life.

How Businesses Can Combat Climate Change

Despite the seemingly endless debate about climate change, at a certain point we all need to rally behind science and data. Earlier this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced that we are out of time to figure out how to curb carbon emissions. The time is now to make changes, both at individual and societal levels.

Kellogg Insight has published a new article and associated video on what businesses can do to combat climate change. In particular, author Meghan Busse outlines three industries that are the main contributors to carbon emissions: electricity generation, transportation, and industrial and agricultural use. She outlines how far the leaders of these industries have come in already reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and which steps they need to take to maximize reductions.

Give this article a read and some thought. Changes are going to have to come from all of us, and hopefully this inspires leadership to take a stand.

Storytelling and Inclusion in the Workplace

Storytelling is the most ancient of human traditions. Although it was storytelling that bonded humans throughout much of our history, it is not a large part of our modern culture. It can, however, increase feelings of inclusion and community in the workplace. Two inclusion consultants, Selena Rezvani and Stacey A. Gordon, recently wrote a piece for HBR detailing their experiences with the power of storytelling amongst co-workers.

Many companies will attempt inclusion with diversity hires, demographic tracking, and equity. What actually drives change, however, is the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. One study found that taking the perspective of others “may have a lasting positive effect on diversity-related outcomes by increasing individuals’ internal motivation to respond without prejudice.” Check out HBR’s new piece and learn how team building begins with storytelling.