The Notebook

Posts tagged ‘collaboration’


For a More Creative Workplace, Foster Collaboration and Respectful Engagement

May 31, 2016  |  

For a More Creative Workplace, Foster Collaboration and Respectful Engagement

Though we often think about creativity as the production of an original work of art—a painting or a novel, perhaps—creativity is also the ability to synthesize and build on information. Creativity is innovation and problem solving; it’s seeing patterns and learning to explain them. When we say that something provokes creativity, we usually mean that it is in some way inspiring or that it encourages people to think outside of the box.

New research on creativity at work, however, indicates that creating the conditions for creativity might be less about inspiring an individual than it is about creating good teams and a space for respectful, common dialogue.

Read More

Labor Day Reflections: The “Other” Set of Critical Work Skills

September 1, 2014  |  

Labor Day Reflections: The “Other” Set of Critical Work Skills

Labor Day offers an opportunity for politicians and economists to offer their two cents on the state of labor. It’s a good bet that some of that commentary will focus on the so-called “skills gap”—the notion that millions of jobs in highly technical fields remain unfilled while millions of Americans without those skills remain unemployed. The solution according to the pundits? Education and training that focuses on technical skills. If only it were so simple.

Read More

A Failure of Opportunity

August 13, 2014  |  

A Failure of Opportunity

Professional development opportunities are big business. An industry trade organization reports that American corporations spent over $160 billion on workforce training and development in 2012, an average expenditure of over $1000 per employee. Yet how often do those professional development dollars flow to the school bus driver, the warehouse worker, or the shop floor employee of a food services company? Rarely.

Read More

How Reflecting on Literature Improves Workplace Performance

July 17, 2014  |  ,

How Reflecting on Literature Improves Workplace Performance

What really happens when employees participate in Books@Work? While participants tell us that getting to know their colleagues and sharing perspectives is the number one reason they enjoy the program, what exactly does this collective reflection have to do with work? New research suggests that not only is collective reflection relevant, it just might make your employees more productive!

Read More