Diversity makes us stronger – diverse groups are more creative and innovative. Diversity is better for business, and it is better for our communities. We make these arguments on our blog and in our practice on a regular basis. And we are not alone: evidence on the benefits of diversity comes from publications such as the Harvard Business Review and the McKinsey Quarterly, among many others.
But is this always the case?
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Social connections at work are good – a well-networked organization is a stronger, more efficient organization. Much evidence exists to support this idea, both on this blog and beyond. But a recent working article from Harvard and the University of North Carolina takes these insights even deeper: fragile social connections – those which can be easily dropped – may actually harm both organizations and the people who work for them.
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We’re introducing our newest team member, who joins us as Director of Research and Evaluation: “I’ve always been fascinated by systems of all kinds – mechanical linkages, circuit boards, solar systems, ecosystems. At the tiny end of the scale, we ourselves are made up of linked systems of cells and chemicals and vessels; at the vaster end, our entire universe is a system of clusters of galaxies linked by gravity. But not all systems are as remote as these. Among the most intricate and compelling systems are the ones we navigate every day: the relationships, groups, networks and hierarchies that make up the personal and professional fabric of our lives. We’re born into some of these systems – our families and cultures – and others we choose and build based on our goals and needs. Some social systems are rigid and rule-defined; others are loose, flexible and informal. You’ve heard it before: humans are deeply social animals.”
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How do we reenergize at work? And what does that energy do for us, as employees and colleagues? Researchers from Brigham Young University, California State University and the University of Michigan took on these questions in a recent article for the Journal of Applied Psychology. Their research shows that relational energy – the psychological resources we gain from our interactions with others – has the capacity to make us simultaneously more effective and satisfied in the workplace.
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Working in – or managing – a municipality has its own set of challenges. Local governments are made up of people from a variety of professions and backgrounds working together to maintain order and quality of life for the citizens of their city. They do so while working in separate departments at different locations, and with rarely any opportunity to meet face to face, much less hold an extended conversation.
For one municipality, Books@Work effectively helped city employees come together, providing opportunities to share perspectives and deeper communication – including listening.
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Last week, we wrote about a recent Pew Internet study that confirmed the American hunger for continued learning opportunities: over the last 12 months, 74% of American adults report participation in some form of personal learning and 63% of employed adults report participation in some form of professional learning. Surprisingly, however, this learning is more likely than not to take place in a physical locale (a school, place or worship, library or a work-related venue) than on the Internet. Recent research on adult learning and development – as well as findings from our seminars – shed light on the complex reasons why adults prefer to learn socially.
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Last week, the Pew Research Center released a detailed report on Lifelong Learning and Technology, exploring the extent to which American adults seek extra knowledge for personal and work-related reasons. The report was heartening, if only because the number of American adults who consider themselves lifelong learners, in both personal and professional capacities, is far greater than I feared. But the report was most fascinating for its confirmation of something many of us suspect, but find unpopular to espouse: humans may still prefer to learn from each other than from technology.
First, the best news: The Pew research shows that 74% of American adults have participated in at least one form of “personal learning” over the past 12 months.
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How well do you know the person who sits next to you at work? What about the woman on the next floor, or down the hall? We are busy, and it’s all too easy to bring only a portion of ourselves to work, and to expect no more than a limited view into the lives of others.
And that’s a problem because, when we fail to recognize people in all their complexity or be recognized in turn, we create openings for misunderstanding and stress.
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We talk a lot about the powers that literature seemingly holds in our world. Literature can inspire, bridge gaps of time, place and experience and offer perspectives into people’s lives that are far removed from our own. As a Books@Work instructor, I have come to experience the power of literature to equalize and humanize.
The first Books@Work session that I led was for a well-established downtown law firm. As I walked into the imposing art-deco building, the faces of partners from decades past gazed out at me from gilded frames.
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