While talent, hard work, and passion are important characteristics for high performance, business success is increasingly dependent on how employees interact with others. In a team environment, so-called negotiated givers might be the best employees. In the best-selling book, “Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success,” Wharton professor Adam Grant describes three different workplace…
The next time you’re about to humblebrag you might want to resist doing so; humblebragging can make people dislike you. In case you’re not familiar with the word, Merriam Webster defines humblebrag as “to make a seemingly modest, self-critical, or casual statement or reference that is meant to draw attention to one’s admirable or impressive…
We know software development is a male dominated profession but it’s difficult to gauge how bad the imbalance is. Nearly 92% of the 82K developers who responded to a 2021 global survey reported being male but that could be due to a response bias. Separately, an on-going yearly survey shows about 21% of computer programmers…
In the middle of a wide-ranging conversation about remote work and creative collaboration, a friend blurted out “The pencil proves remote collaboration works!” It was an esoteric claim but one that makes a strong case. Let’s call it the pencil collaboration. Way back in 1958, an economist named Leonard Read wrote an essay called ‘I,…
When someone says ‘it’s written all over your face,’ they’re claiming the expression on your face reveals your true feelings or thoughts, which might be different than the words you just said. However, most of the time it’s not true. Other people can’t correctly guess what we’re thinking or feeling. It’s not written all over…
It’s important to understand the difference between speed and velocity in business. In physics, velocity and speed are different things. Speed refers to how fast an object is moving; the rate at which an object covers distance. Velocity refers to the rate and direction at which an object changes its position. As an example, consider…
I have a bias for action. When a problem crops up, I quickly gather information and compare potential solutions. I use decisions-making tools to avoid paralysis by analysis. To no surprise to anyone who has worked with me before, I want to do something. My bias for action can be a strength when others are…
The theory of post-traumatic growth (PTG) suggests people who go through psychological trauma can have positive growth as a result. Developed by psychologists in the mid 1990’s, PTG is a process by which people develop new understandings of themselves and the world they live in, making it easier for them to face the future and…
The debate on whether it is better to be a specialist or a generalist might never be resolved but competitive sports provides us with a useful insight: If you choose to specialize, be careful to keep your options open. We can learn this lesson from renowned strength coach Shannon Turley. During Turley’s 7-year tenure with…
In these days of extremisms on all sides, I’ve been thinking about the power of a committed few. In particular, what percentage of a population is required to change the perception of the majority? Alternatively, when does an idea shift from the minority to the majority? We tend to think of social progress and change…