The Indigo Podcast (Ben Baran and Chris Everett)

Dave Smith is a professor of sociology in the College of Leadership and Ethics at the U.S. Naval War College. Brad Johnson is a professor of psychology at the U.S. Naval Academy. Their most recent book--and the topic of this episode--is Good Guys: How Men can be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace. In particular, we discuss:

- What does it mean to be an “ally” for women at work and why does it matter

- Different types of allyship 

- Practical steps for leaders and the world of work

Links and Other Information

Books: Good Guys and Athena Rising 

More about Dave, Brad, and their work: www.workplaceallies.com

More about Dave Smith: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram

More about Brad Johnson: website, LinkedIn

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Today’s episode reflects on, Clayton Christensen, who was a Harvard Business School professor and consultant. He is probably best known because of his book, The Innovator’s Dilemma, which was published in 1997 and introduced his theory of “disruptive innovation.”

Christensen died on January 23, 2020, and it reminded us of one of our favorite works of his, a 2010 article in Harvard Business Review titled, "How Will You Measure Your Life?" So, in this episode we reflect on Clayton and explore the following:

• What does it mean to create a strategy for your life?
• Ethics and integrity matter because people remember.
• Choosing your metrics for success.

In todays episode we discuss: 

• New year resolutions--should you make them?
• Goal-setting and what works
• How to create new habits

Today we have the pleasure of learning from Kate Ball.  Kate is the Director of Talent and Leadership Development at a large tech company and she’s been an officer in the U.S. Navy since 2002.  Kate is going to share her story about finding what is possible in your life and career.  We'll also discuss the circuitous nature of careers and navigating possibilities.  And, chat about the importance of finding purpose and implications for all of us.

Who are YOU, really? In this episode, Ben and Chris explore how "real" you should be at work and in other social circles, including: 

• The benefits and potential pitfall of authenticity

• How authenticity plays out in groups and organizations

• Implications for all of us, for leaders, and for organizations

Links and Other Information

Lehman, D. W., O’Connor, K., Kovács, B., & Newman, G. E. (2019). Authenticity. Academy of Management Annals, 13(1), 1-42. https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/annals.2017.0047 

Why Brutal Honesty is Often a Brutal Mistake: https://www.elevatingwhatworks.com/p/why-brutal-honesty-is-often-a-brutal

All episodes plus MUCH more: Elevating What Works

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Forrest Faison is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy who served as its 38th Surgeon General. He is now the senior vice president for research and innovation and chief healthcare strategy officer at Cleveland State University. He joined us to talk about the future of health care and much more. We discussed: 

- Major trends in the future of health care

- Managing health emergencies at a large scale

- Lessons learned from being the 38th surgeon general of the U.S. Navy

Links and Other Information

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Imagine an “executive.” What do you picture in your mind? If you’re like most of us, some characteristics likely come to mind, and these characteristics are part of something called “executive presence.” It’s an important idea, but it’s also one that can get people and leaders into trouble. In this episode, we discuss.

- What is the popular understanding of executive presence?
- Research findings about executive presence and related concepts
- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

- Dagley, G. R., & Gaskin, C. J. (2014). Understanding executive presence: Perspectives of business professionals. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 66(3), 197. Click here 

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Today in the podcast, we discuss …performance reviews, also known as performance appraisals or annual reviews, along with the overall idea of managing performance for employees in organizations.  Regarding the formal performance review, we’ll talk about why doing these is a GOOD idea.  We’ll also talk about how they can be problematic along with some key implications and considerations for employees and managers.

Show Notes and Resources

*FYI, when you search “performance review” on Google Scholar and limit the results to the last 5 years, there’s basically nothing. The first thing that pops up is about MR imaging…then there’s something from on storm water management LOL! I think it’s fascinating that something so popular as the performance review basically turns up crickets in the academic space. I get a few more relevant results when I search “performance appraisal,” but “performance review” is basically nada.*

Aguinis, H., & Pierce, C. A. (2008). Enhancing the relevance of organizational behavior by embracing performance management research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 139-145.

• This article is actually about why OB scholars should research the topic of performance appraisals, which is not super relevant…
• • HOWEVER: this is an interesting introduction to the topic of the performance review because it specifically talks about the science-practice gap that is large for this particular topic (p. 139) which I think would be an interesting point for you guys to make 
• There’s also a helpful overview of performance appraisal vs. performance management in case you guys get into that distinction (p. 140)

DeNisi, A. S., & Murphy, K. R. (2017). Performance appraisal and performance management: 100 years of progress? Journal of Applied Psychology, 102, 421-433. 

• Rating source: obtaining information from different sources can be useful, but different sources differ systematically in the conclusions they suggest about overall performance levels, and that evaluations from others are likely to be less favorable than self-evaluations 

Cappelli, P., & Tavis, A. (2016). The performance management revolution. Harvard Business Review, 58-67. 

*I know this isn’t an academic article, but it’s honestly the best I found in terms of content…just wanted to make sure you guys had read it...*

• By some estimates, more than one-third of U.S. companies have ditched traditional performance reviews 

• Really interesting history of talent management timeline starting in the middle of the article (“How We Got Here” section) 
• 3 reasons to drop appraisals: improves employee development, more frequent feedback is in line with agile methodology, fosters teamwork

- The “research-practice gap” and why it matters

- Measurement of this gap and how it shows up in HR

- Implications for all of us

Links and Other Information

Fisher, P. A., Risavy, S. D., Robie, C., König, C. J., Christiansen, N. D., Tett, R. P., & Simonet, D. V. (2021). Selection myths: A conceptual replication of HR professionals’ beliefs about effective human resource practices in the US and Canada. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 20(2), 51–60. Click here

Rob Briner’s article, “The Basics of Evidence-Based Practice”

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In this episode we explore:

• What the heck can anyone say anymore
• How to be an effective social deviant
• How to curate a healthy conversation and culture at work

Show Notes

• Poll: 62% of Americans Say They Have Political Views They’re Afraid to Share: https://www.cato.org/publications/survey-reports/poll-62-americans-say-they-have-political-views-theyre-afraid-share
• The Overton Window: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
• Morrison, E. W., & Milliken, F. J. (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 706-725.  https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amr.2000.3707697 
• Episode on difficult conversations:https://indigopodcast.libsyn.com/difficult 
• Episode on managing emotions: https://indigopodcast.libsyn.com/chimp-draft 

Everyone is talking about hybrid work, but there are some missing aspects to many of those conversations. In this episode, we discuss:

- The phenomenon of hybrid work and the unfolding conversation

- What critical considerations seem to be missing from that conversation 

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

The effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers: September 2021 article in Nature Human Behavior

Making hybrid work human: research project

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What is coaching and should managers be coaches? We explore this and related topics in this episode; specifically: 

• Coaching as a critical part of performance management
• Coaches in the workplace--and managers as part of that
• How organizations can promote coaching behavior

Links and More

• Steelman, L. A., & Wolfeld, L. (2018). The manager as coach: The role of feedback orientation. Journal of Business and Psychology, 33(1), 41-53.  Click here
• 
  Joo, B. K. B., Sushko, J. S., & McLean, G. N. (2012). Multiple faces of coaching: Manager-as-coach, executive coaching, and formal mentoring. Organization Development Journal, 30(1). Click here

The Indigo Podcast's hosts, Ben and Chris, explain the origins of VUCA and why it’s relevant.  They define what “agile” and “agility” mean in the context of business and management.  And, they provide practical examples of agility/agile and implications for employees and managers.

Podcast articles and links mentioned by Chris and Ben:

• Ben’s agility white paper https://www.indigoanchor.com/s/Bens-SIOP-Paper.pdf 
• On origins of VUCA https://www.indigoanchor.com/blog/2019/10/31/on-the-origins-of-vuca-and-how-it-affects-decision-making
• Developing strategic leadership: The US Army War College experience https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/02621719210018208/full/html
• Agile Manifesto: http://agilemanifesto.org/
• Cynefin video: https://youtu.be/N7oz366X0-8
  Spotify Engineering Culture: https://youtu.be/4GK1NDTWbkY

www.indigoanchor.com

www.indigotogether.com

Dealing with bad news is a fundamental part of being a leader or a manager. Focusing on how to deal with bad news within the organization, we discuss the research on delivering bad news and distill some actionable insights. Specifically, we explore:

• How sharing bad news is hard and painful, but it’s necessary 
• Why and how fairness matters with regard to sharing bad news
• Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

• Bies, R. J. (2013). The delivery of bad news in organizations: A framework for analysis. Journal of Management, 39(1), 136-162. Click here 
• Lavelle, J. J., Folger, R., & Manegold, J. G. (2016). Delivering bad news: How procedural unfairness affects messengers’ distancing and refusals. Journal of Business Ethics, 136(1), 43-55. Click here  
• Firing via Zoom: At the scooter-sharing startup Bird and at WW International Inc. 

Bill Gentry is the author of the best-selling book, Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders.  In this episode, our conversation covers getting to know Bill, his tips on career development, and information for first-time leaders.

Why should we listen to Bill? He is a leadership researcher, trainer, speaker, author, and industrial-organizational psychologist with a specialty of helping new and aspiring leaders. He’s currently the Assistant Vice President of Career and Professional Development at High Point University.  Before that, he was a senior research scientist, trainer, and director at the Center for Creative Leadership, a top-ranked global provider of executive education and leadership development.  Bill is an accomplished researcher with more than 50 peer-reviewed publications.  He’s been featured in more than 50 internet and news outlets (such as Forbes.com, The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Harvard Business Review, Chief Learning Officer, and more).

Show Notes

Bill Gentry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamagentryphd/ 

High Point University:  http://www.highpoint.edu/

Be The Boss Everyone Wants To Work For:: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Boss-Everyone-Wants-Work/dp/1626566259 

Bill Gentry’s website: https://williamgentryleads.com/

Everyone wants to work less with more productivity, right? Many companies have experimented with alternative work schedules, flex hours, and reduced hours.  In the war for talent it is certainly tempting to offer a four hour work week, providing a way for employees to achieve work life balance.  Does it work?  In this episode we discuss:

• History of the four day workweek and different types of work schedules
• Industry, profitability, ethics 
• Implications for individuals, managers, execs and board members

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Enrica Ruggs, Assistant Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis.  We discuss the racism landscape, racism and organizations, and making progress and the role of leadership against racism.

If you want to know a little more about Enrica, her work focuses on the manifestation of subtle forms of discrimination and mistreatment toward employees with stigmatized identities, the outcomes of these behaviors, and strategies that individuals and organizations can engage in to combat and reduce discrimination. Her research has been published in premier academic outlets such as Journal of Applied Psychology and Journal of Management.

Outrage sells. Division is rampant. And sometimes it might feel like our world is falling apart. But there's hope, and we all can make a big difference. We explore in this episode, discussing in particular:

• Finding your purpose
• What we all can do right now
• How we can all have a broader influence

Links and Other Information

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So many times in business and in life, people and teams mess the same things up, over and over again. But one specific way in which leaders and teams can drive continual learning is through what’s called the “after-action review,” which we explore in this episode. 

- What are after-action reviews and what problems might they help address

- Important elements of after-action reviews

- Best practices in using after-action reviews for team members, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

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Have you ever had to work in a group that had a member or two who just weren't pulling their weight? It happens--all the time. And it's terrible, for both people and organizations! These slackers in teams are doing what's called "social loafing," and in this episode we discuss:

• What is social loafing
• What we know about it and what does it do to groups and teams
• How to prevent social loafing

Show Notes and Links

• Karau, S. J., & Williams, K. D. (1993). Social loafing: A meta-analytic review and theoretical integration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(4), 681. https://www1.psych.purdue.edu/~willia55/392F-%2706/KarauWilliamsMetaAnalysisJPSP.pdf 
• Simms A, Nichols T. Social loafing: A review of the literature. Journal of Management Policy and Practice. 2014;15(1):58-67.
• Related podcast: Make it RAIN! Money as a Motivator: https://www.indigotogether.com/indigopodcast/make-it-rain-money-as-a-motivator

We hope you laugh listening, as much as we did in prepping for this episode.  Shout out to Jordan J. in Washington D.C. for submitting quite a few ideas on this fun topic.  In a survey by CareerBuilder.com in 2009, 40% of respondents revealed that they have dated a coworker.  Taboo?

We’re drawing upon a nice summary in the Encyclopedia of Industrial/Organizational Psychology written by Charles Pierce of the University of Memphis, also a good article in the MIT Sloan Management Review by John Pearce of Villanova University.

• Different types of workplace romances and how they form
• Impacts on the individual, team and broader organization
• Implications--what should we do and not do...

Going off to college is an exciting time for both parents and students. It’s a time that marks the end of childhood in some ways and the launch into adulthood in other ways. It’s also a time that’s fraught with uncertainty and ambiguity. So in this episode, we explore how new college students can approach their first year, and how parents can support their child’s new foray into college. 

Links and Other Information

- Parent resources: Cleveland State University and University of Michigan

- We’re No. 1 Article on higher education in the United States

- John Kroger on Learning, the Military, Higher Education, and American Society: podcast episode

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Do veterans make good civilian employees? How do veterans and civilians avoid talking past each other in corporate settings? We discuss this and more with Kristin Saboe who leads employee listening, research, and talent strategy at The Boeing Company. She is responsible for authoring and leading Boeing’s Enterprise Veterans and Military Spouses Strategy. She also sits on several national level advisory councils related to veteran employment. Prior to Boeing, Kristin served in the U.S. Army.  We'll dive deep into:

• Kristin's areas of focus and work with the military veteran community
• The use of science for making policy
• The current state and potential future of military veteran employment in the United States

Show Notes

https://www.siop.org/About-SIOP/Advocacy/SIOP-Military-and-Veterans-Initiative

https://www.militarypsych.org/

https://www.bushcenter.org/explore-our-work/issues/military-service-initiative.htm

lhttps://ivmf.syracuse.edu/about-ivmf/

https://www.hiringourheroes.org/

https://psycharmor.org/

https://www.easterseals.com/DCMDVA/

Learn about the five roles of everyday agile leaders and turning your conversation flow to cash flow with Mike Richardson, who specializes in the agility challenges of CEOs and executives running small to medium sized enterprises. He shares insights at the intersection of his agility experiences in three worlds. In the real-world, he started his career working as a Petroleum Engineer on offshore oil and gas drilling rigs with Shell International and now studies other everyday agile leaders in the real world: fighter pilots, Navy Seals, Fire Fighters and others. In the business world, via an MBA at London Business School, he went into the Aerospace industry and ended up running the Aerospace Division of a British public company, Spirent plc. In the advisory world, for nearly 20 years as an author, keynote speaker, facilitator, coach and board member, including 15 years as a CEO peer group chair and speaker with Vistage Worldwide. 

Links
More about upcoming webinars with Mike: https://mikerichardson.live/webinars-1

Related episode--Flourishing in a VUCA World: Agile, Agility, and Why It Matters:  https://indigopodcast.libsyn.com/flourishing-in-a-vuca-world

Today, we talk with Dr. Warren D. Everett and end up with a moral case for opening the economy in the wake of Covid-19.  Dr. Everett has practiced medicine for over 40 years, is a retired medical school professor from the University of AL, and has specialties in Aerospace Medicine and Family Practice.  He also has a B.S. in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy.  Specifics we address:

• How pandemics end: medically vs socially
• Psychology of exhaustion and self-control
• The role of organizations and leaders as we move forward

First impressions, in some research studies, are measured in milliseconds. Let that sink in. In fractions of a second, we make judgments about each other. In fractions of a second, people make judgments about us. In this episode, we explore impression management. Specifically, we discuss: 

• What is impression management
• How do we shape impressions and can we change them
• Implications for people, leaders, organizations

We may or may not also discuss Greek yogurt. 

Links and Other Information

• Bar, M., Neta, M., & Linz, H. (2006). Very first impressions. Emotion, 6(2), 269. Click here 
• Bolino, M. C. (1999). Citizenship and impression management: Good soldiers or good actors?. Academy of Management Review, 24(1), 82-98. Click here 
• Leary, M. R., & Kowalski, R. M. (1990). Impression management: A literature review and two-component model. Psychological Bulletin, 107(1), 34. Click here 
• Mann, T. C., & Ferguson, M. J. (2015). Can we undo our first impressions? The role of reinterpretation in reversing implicit evaluations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 823. Click here 
• Wayne, S. J., & Liden, R. C. (1995). Effects of impression management on performance ratings: A longitudinal study. Academy of Management Journal, 38(1), 232-260. Click here 
• Willis, J., & Todorov, A. (2006). First impressions: Making up your mind after a 100-ms exposure to a face. Psychological Science, 17(7), 592-598. Click here 

We couldn't help it....we love Ice Cube.  But alas, today's episode is about managing your emotions.  Once you understand how your mind works you will be able to hack it.  Others' behaviors will likely make more sense as well.  So we dive deep into: 

• What is self leadership and how is managing one's emotions part of it?
• How understanding how your mind works is the key to “hacking” your future
• Using this understanding to improve your interactions with others

Show Notes

George, J. M. (2000). Emotions and leadership: The role of emotional intelligence. Human Relations, 53(8), 1027-1055. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018726700538001 

Difficult Conversations podcast: https://www.indigotogether.com/indigopodcast-1/difficult-conversations

Chimp Paradox book by Steve Peters: https://www.amazon.com/Chimp-Paradox-Management-Program-Confidence/dp/039916359X

Most managers know that retaining top talent is key to their success.  As such, many companies are offering all sorts of "perks" to attract and keep the best employees.  What does the research say? In this episode we cover:

• Turnover and retention--what the research says
• Retention management--evidence based guidelines
• Unfolding model of turnover
• Organizational commitment and withdrawal

Ben and Chris introduce listeners to who they are, how they met, what they're doing now, why they started the podcast, and what drives them in the world of work...and beyond.

Erik Helzer is an associate professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and he specializes in three facets of practical wisdom: ethical behavior and moral judgment, self-knowledge, and personal agency and adjustment. He joined us for a wonderful conversation, in which we discussed behavioral ethics and moral psychology, along with implications for all of us.

Links and Other Information

Helzer, E. G., Cohen, T. R., & Kim, Y. (2022). The character lens: A person-centered perspective on moral recognition and ethical decision-making. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-18. Download 

Why the Past 10 Years Have Been Uniquely Stupid: Article in The Atlantic by Jonathan Haidt 

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Whether it’s coping with unqualified people being promoted, working hard only to be rewarded with more hard work, supervisors getting away with being rude, or something else–we’ve all been there. Unfairness is common in life and at work, and our perceptions of fairness really matter. In this episode, we discuss: 

• Different types of “justice” or fairness in organizations
• Outcomes of fair and unfair treatment
• Implications for people, leaders, and organizations. 

Links and Other Information

Sherf, E. N., Venkataramani, V., & Gajendran, R. S. (2019). Too busy to be fair? The effect of workload and rewards on managers’ justice rule adherence. Academy of Management Journal, 62(2), 469-502. Link to article and a summary

Cropanzano, R., Bowen, D. E., & Gilliland, S. W. (2007). The management of organizational justice. Academy of Management Perspectives, 21(4), 34-48. Click here 

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For the average employee, it probably comes as no surprise that top management teams are out of touch with reality within the organization. But for executives themselves, it likely comes as a surprise--because, well, they’re out of touch. We explore this phenomenon in today’s episode, including key ways in which executives are out of touch currently (and perhaps more broadly), why this is problematic, and what leaders should do about it. 

Links and Other Information

What is Work Really Like Today: report from Gartner

Prior episode: Creating a Feedback Culture

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Microsoft released a report on March 22, 2021 that outlines seven urgent business trends and five ways forward with regard to the world of work. We discuss the report and provide our analysis and commentary. Specifically, we discuss:

- An overview of Microsoft’s new report, “The Next Great Disruption is Hybrid Work -- Are we Ready?

- Our evaluation of what we see as most (and least) valuable 

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready? Report from Microsoft  

Citi declares “Zoom-Free” Fridays: article from Yahoo!

Cort Rudolph on Debunking the Myths of Generational Differences: Episode on The Indigo Podcast

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If you care about workplace learning and training, this is the episode for you. Kurt Kraiger is one of the world’s top experts in that space, and he joined us for a tremendous conversation about the science of workplace instruction. In this episode, we discussed: 

- Kurt’s academic and professional journey

- What is the science of workplace instruction and why do we need it

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

The Science of Workplace Instruction: article by Kurt Kraiger and Kevin Ford 

Kurt’s work on mentoring: check out this one and also this one 

Kurt on LinkedIn

Tea and Consent: video 

Other experts in this area: Milt Hakel, Ed Salas 

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There’s a lot of talk right now about the “great resignation” and the numbers of people leaving the workforce. Regardless of the nuances of that situation and whether or not it poses a problem for specific employers, the topic of keeping junior talent is one that seems particularly relevant right now. In this episode, we discuss:

- Why do people stay in their jobs

- What might be particularly important for junior talent

- Implications for junior talent, their leaders, and their organizations

Links and Other Information

Why people quit and how to keep them: Part 1

Why people quit and how to keep them: Part 2

Lee, T. W., Mitchell, T. R., Holtom, B. C., McDaneil, L. S., & Hill, J. W. (1999). The unfolding model of voluntary turnover: A replication and extension. Academy of Management Journal, 42(4), 450-462. Click here 

Allen, D. G., Bryant, P. C., & Vardaman, J. M. (2010). Retaining talent: Replacing misconceptions with evidence-based strategies. Academy of management Perspectives, 24(2), 48-64. Click here

McKinsey article on attracting and retaining talent: click here

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Would you like to go back to high school?  For many, the deciding factor in answering this question would be popularity.  And, for those of us who perhaps despised high school, the "adult" world can be quite disappointing when we realize popularity contests don't go away.  All potential cringing aside, in this episode we discuss:

• What is popularity and how does it relate to the workplace?
• How do people achieve popularity and what happens if you are popular? 
• What does popularity have to do with flourishing in life?

This year has been such a challenge for you, us, and the rest of the world. But there is hope. We discuss in this episode, specifically:

• How 2020 was tremendously challenging
• Why we should have hope going into 2021 
• Ways in which we can position ourselves for flourishing this year

Happy New Year to you and yours! SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

Links and Other Information

• COVID-19 data from Johns Hopkins University: click here
• COVID vs the Flu: article
• How Science Beat the Virus: article in The Atlantic

All episodes and more information is available at Indigo Together. 

• What the heck is a covidtunist? 
• Need for differentiation and authenticity
• Implications for vendors and organizations

Don't fall victim to the covidtunist.

Have examples of “covidtuning” or “covidtunists”? Share them with us on Twitter using the hashtag #covidtunist and tag us @PodcastIndigo

Being ostracized is painful, regardless of whether it occurs in our non-work or work lives. We explore workplace ostracism in this episode with Josh Cogswell, an assistant professor of management at Nicholls State University who recently published a meta-analysis on workplace ostracism in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Specifically, we discuss:

• What is ostracism and why does it matter in the workplace
• Outcomes of ostracism
• What leads to ostracism and implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

• Josh Cogswell: LinkedIn or at the Nicholls State University College of Business Administration
• Howard, M. C., Cogswell, J. E., & Smith, M. B. (2019). The antecedents and outcomes of workplace ostracism: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology. Click here

Today, we have guest, Todd Dewett, on the show. 

Todd grew up in Memphis. He started a career as a consultant, but got an academic itch and earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior at Texas A&M. He became a professor, quickly rose the ranks through tenure and promotion all the way to full professor, won all the teaching and research awards, and after 10 highly successful years in academia… he left. Fast forward to today, Todd is a professional speaker. He’s given more than 1,000 speeches, including TEDx, endless corporate events and conferences, military groups, religious organizations, and many nonprofits; he’s talked live in numerous countries to over 100,000 people, Inc. Magazine named him a Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and he was hired by the National Speakers Association to teach professional speakers how to deliver killer keynote speeches. Todd is the author of numerous articles and books, including Show Your Ink: Stories About Leadership and Life. 

We're thrilled to have Steven Rogelberg on our show.  Steven has authored more than 100 publications addressing issues such as team effectiveness, leadership, engagement, health and employee well-being, meetings at work, and organizational research methods. He has been seen in the media via CBS, TEDx, The Washington Post, etc.  He is also a professor and the Editor of The Journal of Business and Psychology.  

Today, we will discuss what drives Steven, his evidence-based take on improving meetings, and his latest book, “The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance.”

Links to check out:

The Surprising Science of Meetings: https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Science-Meetings-Lead-Performance/dp/0190689218/

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: www.siop.org

www.stevenrogelberg.com 

First let us say this episode will leave many unsatisfied -- we can empathize with the desire for definitive answers, but in the real world of leadership and management you have to get comfortable with incomplete information and ambiguity.  We discuss:

• What is science? How does it work? Misconceptions?

• When it works, what kind of knowledge does it provide? 

• What is the nature of scientific explanation? How does the social organization of science contribute, if at all, to its success?

• The big rift that can emerge between management and employees
• Aligning the factions 
• Practical steps to head in the right direction

If you ask a person to do something, why would he or she say yes and comply? It has to do with the power you hold and the influence you wield. This holds true regardless of whether you’re working with your boss, your direct reports, your coworkers, or even with friends or members of your family. We discuss:

- What is power and what are the primary sources of power 

- What is influence and what are the primary different influence tactics

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

Elias, S. (2008). Fifty years of influence in the workplace: The evolution of the French and Raven power taxonomy. Journal of Management History. Click here

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Training at work is often terrible--but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, we unpack some of the basic--yet essential--ideas behind creating training that has a real and sustained impact. Specifically, we address:

• What is training and why does it matter
• Ways to design training so that it helps people learn
• Key takeaways for people, leaders, organizations

Links and Other Information

• Association for Talent Development: website and state of the industry
• The International Society for Performance Improvement: website
• The Thiagi Group: games and other training-related resources
• Aguinis, H., & Kraiger, K. (2009). Benefits of training and development for individuals and teams, organizations, and society. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 451-474. Click here

This is the first of what will likely be a handful of episodes on crises and related topics. We are drawing DIRECTLY from some amazing resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and we’ve included a link to all of these resources in the show notes. What we love about these resources is that it’s all evidence-based, drawing upon the relevant social science literature. And it doesn’t just have to do with public health emergencies. 

• The six principles of crisis and emergency risk communication
• The phases of a crisis and the communication rhythm
• Pitfalls to avoid and implications for everyone

Show Notes

CDC’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) manual is based on psychological and communication sciences, studies in issues management, and practical lessons learned from emergency responses. The CERC manual is intended for public health response officials and communicators who have a basic knowledge of public health communication, working with the media and social media, and local and national response structures. Learn more and download it here: https://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/manual/index.asp 

The Tylenol Case: https://www.biznews.com/thought-leaders/2013/11/15/five-key-lessons-from-tylenol-crisis 

https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/23/your-money/IHT-tylenol-made-a-hero-of-johnson-johnson-the-recall-that-started.html

If you want to motivate people, you need to understand the nature of rewards in the workplace. Otherwise, you might be really missing the mark. You might actually be demotivating your employees. In this episode, we unpack the basics of rewarding employees, including the following:   

• Extrinsic versus intrinsic rewards
• Fundamental ideas about employee motivation
• Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

• Related episodes: Cort Rudolph on Generational Differences (link), Designing Work that Doesn’t Stink (link), Make it RAIN! Money as a Motivator (link) 
• Ben’s terrible YouTube videos:
  • Equity Theory, 
  • Expectancy Theory,
  • Goal-Setting Theory,
  • Social Exchange and Organizational Support Theory 
• Accepting an award: Tips from Toastmasters (click here) 
• The Four Intrinsic Rewards that Drive Employee Engagement: Article by Kenneth Thomas (click here) 
• Lincoln Electric’s pay system: Article in the NY Times
• Russ Robert's essay, "The Story of My Life," in which he introduces the idea of thinking of yourself as part of an ensemble instead of as the main character: click here 

In the realm of public service, the Honorable Mike Dovilla has done it all: elected official, congressional staffer, presidential appointee, military officer, and more. In this episode, we explore why public service is worth pursuing as a career, what shapes and forms public service might take, and advice for those of any age or state looking to get into public service. We also explore important aspects of history and context that shape U.S. government, society, and our involvement in it.  

Show Notes

• The Grindstone Institute: https://thegrindstoneinstitute.com/
• Mike Dovilla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldovilla
• The USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation: https://www.usscleveland.org/
• The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse: https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-American-Adult-Coming-Crisis/dp/1250114403
• U.S. government jobs: https://www.usajobs.gov 

Decisions are fascinating, and Neil Shortland is an expert on them. He’s an assistant professor of Criminology and Justice Studies and the director of the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. In this episode, we explore decisions and decision-making, including details about:

• Making hard decisions
• Decision-making in policing and business
• How the research on decision-making can apply to all of our lives

Links and Other Information

• More about Neil Shortland: website, Twitter, and YouTube
• Ground Truth: Communication, decision-making, leadership, and risk for law enforcement, emergency services, military, and security services. Click here 
• Neil’s book, Conflict: click here
• Shortland, N., Alison, L., & Thompson, L. (In press). Military maximizers: Examining the effect of individual differences in maximization on military decision-making. Personality and Individual Differences. Click here 
• Shortland, N., Thompson, L., & Alison, L. (In press). Police Perfection: Examining the Effect of Trait Maximization on Police Decision-Making. Frontiers in Psychology. Click here 
• Cohen, M. S., & Lipshitz, R. (2011). Three roads to commitment: A trimodal theory of decision making. Click here 
• Shortland, N., Alison, L., & Barrett-Pink, C. (2018). Military (in) decision-making process: a psychological framework to examine decision inertia in military operations. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 19(6), 752-772. Click here 
• Larsen, R. P. (2001). Decision making by military students under severe stress. Military Psychology, 13(2), 89-98. Click here 
• Klein, G. A. (2017). Sources of power: How people make decisions. MIT press. Click here 

The data are clear about the benefits of having a sense of purpose and meaning in life. And one big piece of that for many people is their work. But what makes work meaningful? How might we make our work more meaningful, and what might we do if that’s just not possible? In this episode, we discuss:

- What is meaningful work and why does it matter

- How to make work more meaningful or what to do if that’s unlikely

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

Berg, J. M., Dutton, J. E., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2013). Job crafting and meaningful work. In B.J. Dik, Z. S. Byrne & M. F. Steger (Eds.), Purpose and meaning in the workplace (pp. 81-104). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Click here 

Bunderson, J. S., & Thompson, J. A. (2009). The call of the wild: Zookeepers, callings, and the double-edged sword of deeply meaningful work. Administrative Science Quarterly, 54(1), 32-57. Click here

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In some workplaces, foul language seems to spew forth from people nonstop. In others, the slightest off-color remark would turn heads and raise eyebrows with astonishment. Given these differences, how should we think about swearing at work? And what research might help guide us? We discuss:  

- An introduction to ways to think about swearing at work

- A survey of some of the research on swearing at work

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations 

Links and Other Information

Baruch, Y., Prouska, R., Ollier-Malaterre, A., & Bunk, J. (2017). Swearing at work: the mixed outcomes of profanity. Journal of Managerial Psychology. Click here

Baruch, Y., & Jenkins, S. (2007). Swearing at work and permissive leadership culture: When anti‐social becomes social and incivility is acceptable. Leadership & Organization Development Journal. Click here

Johnson, D. I., & Lewis, N. (2010). Perceptions of swearing in the work setting: An expectancy violations theory perspective. Communication Reports, 23(2), 106-118. Click here

Pinker, Steven. The Stuff of Thought: Language As a Window into Human Nature. New York: Viking, 2007.

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What can managers do to make work more satisfying and more motivational? Does it matter if people find their jobs satisfying? Why or why not? We explore these and related topics in this episode, including: 

• What job satisfaction is and why it matters
• Five different facets of job satisfaction
• The job characteristics model and how managers can make work more satisfying and motivating

Links and Other Information

• Man’s Search for Meaning: book 
• The Chimp Paradox: book 
• Judge, T. A., Thoresen, C. J., Bono, J. E., & Patton, G. K. (2001). The job satisfaction–job performance relationship: A qualitative and quantitative review. Psychological Bulletin, 127(3), 376. Click here 
• Fried, Y., & Ferris, G. R. (1987). The validity of the job characteristics model: A review and meta‐analysis. Personnel Psychology, 40(2), 287-322. Click here 

Suzanne Lucas is the "Evil HR Lady." After a decade in corporate HR, she embarked on a new mission to enhance the world of work for all. She coaches and trains HR departments, speaks around the world, and is the mastermind behind the Evil HR Lady group on Facebook, which has become a community of more than 31,000 HR professionals. In this episode, we talked about the state of HR, the dangers of the idea and practice of “bringing your whole self to work,” and the value of improv comedy for developing leadership skills. Stay tuned to hear Chris and I try a bit of improv in this thought-provoking and fun episode with Suzanne Lucas.

Links and Other Information

All episodes plus MUCH more: Elevating What Works

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More from Suzanne Lucas:

• Blog/website: https://www.evilhrlady.org/ 

• Evil HR Lady Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/evilhrlady

• Suzanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannemlucas/ 

This episode is about loneliness--but it's also about so much more. The bigger issue has to do with building connections with each other and within a society that so often feels fragmented. So we do tackle loneliness in this episode, but building connections is the big theme of what we discuss. It’s a topic that we see as absolutely critical for the flourishing of everyone both as individuals and as a society. Tune in for a thought-provoking and at-times rather passionate discussion of loneliness and building connections for a better life.

As always, please subscribe, share this episode with a friend or on social media, and give us a great rating or review wherever you listen if you think we deserve it. 

Links and Other Information

This Deadly Condition Affects One in Four People (article by Ben about loneliness): https://benbaran.substack.com/p/this-deadly-condition-affects-one

How One Man Convinced 200 Ku Klux Klan Members To Give Up Their Robes: https://www.npr.org/2017/08/20/544861933/how-one-man-convinced-200-ku-klux-klan-members-to-give-up-their-robes

All episodes plus MUCH more: https://elevatingwhatworks.substack.com

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Work teams benefit from diverse perspectives. Yet that diversity can increase the probability of tension. In this episode, we discuss:  

- The relationships among diversity, conflict, and team performance

- How we can think about and manage conflict within diverse teams

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

Garcia‐Prieto, P., Bellard, E., & Schneider, S. C. (2003). Experiencing diversity, conflict, and emotions in teams. Applied Psychology, 52(3), 413-440. Click here 

Curşeu, P. L., & Schruijer, S. G. (2010). Does conflict shatter trust or does trust obliterate conflict? Revisiting the relationships between team diversity, conflict, and trust. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 14(1), 66. Click here 

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Leading people is hard. It’s especially hard when many of the people you’re trying to lead don’t like you. But you have to lead anyway. In this episode, we talk about what you can do, exploring: 

- Situations in which leading other people is challenging
- The central nature of trust and leadership
- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations 

Links and Other Information

Burke, C. S., Sims, D. E., Lazzara, E. H., & Salas, E. (2007). Trust in leadership: A multi-level review and integration. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(6), 606-632. Click here 

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The magnitude of problems facing the world can be overwhelming. But we are not helpless. In this episode, we discuss the value of getting involved and volunteering your service for the betterment of society. Specifically, we discuss the inaugural Vincent William Baran Day of Service, which was held on Sept. 25, 2021, and how everyone can contribute to making the world a better place. 

Links and Other Information

The Vincent William Baran Day of Service: Mighty Vincent

The USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation: click here

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Since early 2019, a group of 12 members of the U.S. House of Representatives--six Democrats and six Republicans--have been on a bold mission to fix Congress. They’re members of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, chaired by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer. He joined us to talk about their efforts, including:

- The origins of the committee

- Recommendations it has produced

- And much more

Links and Other Information

The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress: website 

Recommendations from the committee: 117th Congress recommendations, 116th Congress recommendations 

June 24, 2021 full committee hearing: ““Rethinking Congressional Culture: Lessons from the Fields of Organizational Psychology and Conflict Resolution” click here

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In this episode, we discuss training at work. Specifically, we examine what’s widely known in the training industry as the 70:20:10 rule. One part of this idea is that most of the learning that occurs at work happens informally and not through more formal experiences like those in the classroom. But does this idea stand the test of science? We explore: 

- The 70:20:10 rule and a review of the evidence 

- Maximizing the value of on-the-job training

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

Clardy, A. (2018). 70-20-10 and the dominance of informal learning: A fact in search of evidence. Human Resource Development Review, 17(2), 153-178. Click here  

Johnson, S. J., Blackman, D. A., & Buick, F. (2018). The 70: 20: 10 framework and the transfer of learning. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 29(4), 383-402. Click here  

Steven Rogelberg’s book, The Surprising Science of Meetings (Amazon) 

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This podcast is about human flourishing at work AND BEYOND. Work and non-work are often intertwined, but if we’re to flourish in life, we need to pay attention to the full spectrum of human flourishing. Today’s episode is probably a little more on the “beyond” side of the spectrum.  We discuss:

• What is your identity and why is it important?
• Work identity and the benefits of a more complex identity.
• Developing a balanced “you.”

Links & Show Notes

• Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/TheIndigoPodcast/
• Subscribe on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdek-k3uDlmX5FPuOAbqoAg 
• Cerulo, K. A. (1997). Identity construction: New issues, new directions. Annual Review of Sociology, 23(1), 385-409. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev.soc.23.1.385 
• Caza, B. B., Vough, H., & Puranik, H. (2018). Identity work in organizations and occupations: Definitions, theories, and pathways forward. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(7), 889-910. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2318 
• https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/12/the-real-roots-of-midlife-crisis/382235/
• https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/05/the-invention-of-the-midlife-crisis/561203/
• https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Mastery-Liberating-Master-Musician/dp/156224003X  effortless mastery by kenny werner
• https://www.amazon.com/Intimacy-Desire-Awaken-Passion-Relationship/dp/0825305675 

The marvel cinematic universe, or MCU, comprises 29 films that together have pulled in $27.432 billion in total revenue. And industrial and organizational psychologists Gordon Schmidt and Sy Islam argue that there’s plenty that we might learn from these films. In fact, they go deep into this topic in their book, Leaders Assemble: Leadership in the MCU. Tune into this great conversation about how we might learn about leadership from popular culture, and more specifically, from superheroes. 

Links and Other Information

Leaders Assemble! Leadership in the MCU (Amazon)

More about Sy: Twitter, LinkedIn, website, ResearchGate

More about Gordon: Twitter, LinkedIn, ResearchGate

Popular culture blog posts: 

• What Should Matthew Be Doing? A Job Analysis for being a Raven
• Hidden Figures, Hidden Talent
• Building Wakanda for Team #SIOP
• Job Analysis of an SNL Host
• Parks and Recreation: A Workplace Sitcom for your IO, OB, or HR class
• May the Fourth of Networking Be With you 

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To develop as a leader, stretch assignments or “crucibles” are critical. We discuss in more detail, using Mormon missionary experiences and the Hells Angels motorcycle runs as examples. Specifically, we explore:

• Why people need “crucibles” to grow and develop 
• What is a stretch assignment
• Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

• Thomas, R. J. (2008). Crucibles of leadership development. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(3), 15. Click here
• Fernández-Aráoz, C. 21st-Century Talent Spotting. Harvard Business Review. 
• Yost, P. R., & Plunkett, M. M. (2009). Real Time Leadership Development (Vol. 7). John Wiley & Sons. Click here

Justin Trudeau, Jair Bolsonaro, Angela Merkel: three distinct leaders with three distinct approaches toward the COVID pandemic. We unpack their charismatic, ideological, and pragmatic approaches with Matt Crayne of the University at Albany and Kelsey Medeiros of the University of Nebraska Omaha. Specifically, we discuss:

• Three ways to think about leadership
• Profiles of three world leaders during COVID
• Implications for people and organizations

Links and Other Information

• Matt Crayne: website and Twitter
• Kelsey Medeiros: website, ethics consulting firm, and Twitter
• Crayne, M. P., & Medeiros, K. E. 2020. Making Sense of Crisis: Charismatic, Ideological, and Pragmatic Leadership in Response to COVID-19. The American Psychologist. Click here
• Baran, B. E., & Scott, C. W. (2010). Organizing ambiguity: A grounded theory of leadership and sensemaking within dangerous contexts. Military Psychology. Click here
• Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy: video
• Managing the Unexpected: book

While #covid-19 (#coronavirus) has us all on lockdown, we are finding that many of us are struggling with the isolation of #socialdistancing.  Whether we live alone or with family, the isolation of having to stay in one's own home and deal with all the stress and changes this virus has brought us is a tall task.  So in this episode we take an #evidencebased look at how to keep your sanity while isolated.  

• Humans are social 
• Experiences with Military Deployments and training scenarios
• Guidance for behavior while in captivity--lessons from prisoners of war and the U.S. military

Sam Paustian-Underdahl is the Mary Tilley Bessemer Associate Professor of Business Administration in the Department of Management at Florida State University's College of Business, and we were honored to have her join us for a fantastic conversation about women, work, and why this topic matters. Sam’s research, which we discuss along with other related topics, focuses on gender and diversity in organizations, the work-family interface, and leadership, in the context of work and organizations. We explored the idea of the playing field of the workplace, how gender fits into it, and implications for all of us, including leaders and organizations. 

Links and Other Information

Sam's faculty webpage, LinkedIn profile

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For those of us living among other people–which is basically all of us unless you’re a total hermit–it’s natural to look around and notice other people. This is something called “social comparison.” But it has both negative and positive outcomes for us. In this episode, we discuss: 

- What social comparison is

- How does social comparison work and what are its outcomes

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

The Stress of Social Comparison: article 

New York Times article: You Won’t Find Your Self-Worth on Instagram   

Hobza, C. L., Walker, K. E., Yakushko, O., & Peugh, J. L. (2007). What about men? Social comparison and the effects of media images on body and self-esteem. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8(3), 161.  Click here 

Hogue, J. V., & Mills, J. S. (2019). The effects of active social media engagement with peers on body image in young women. Body Image, 28, 1-5. Click here

Experience Magazine: Jealous of your Facebook friends? You’re not alone. 

Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Okdie, B. M., Eckles, K., & Franz, B. (2015). Who compares and despairs? The effect of social comparison orientation on social media use and its outcomes. Personality and Individual Differences, 86, 249-256. Click here 

Gibbons, F. X., & Buunk, B. P. (1999). Individual differences in social comparison: development of a scale of social comparison orientation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 76(1), 129. Click here 

Park, S. Y., & Baek, Y. M. (2018). Two faces of social comparison on Facebook: The interplay between social comparison orientation, emotions, and psychological well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 79, 83-93. Click here 

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When it comes to managing people, one of the toughest parts is hiring. But if you want a good organization, you have to get hiring right. The good news is that there’s a mountain of evidence about how to hire people. Listen in, and we’ll explore: 

- The challenge of selection

- A process backed by 100 years of science

- Implications for job candidates, hiring managers, and executives

Links and Other Information

- Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262. Click here

- Free research on thousands of jobs: The O*Net

- What NOT to ask in interviews: Guide from the Ohio Civil Rights Commission

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Learning how to negotiate is an important skill. And one of the more common types of negotiations that we all go through has to do with job offers. So in this episode, we’ll be talking about navigating job offers from the perspective of both the job candidate and from the perspective of the organization doing the hiring. Specifically, we discuss:

- Basic approaches toward negotiation

- Stages of the negotiation process

- Additional guidance for people and hiring teams 

Links and Other Information

Harvard Business Review article on job offers 

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Why is Joe Rogan so Popular? Article in The Atlantic 

Spotify CEO Addresses Joe Rogan Controversy (CNN)

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Dave Schramm is a no-kidding family and relationships scholar--but he also does tremendous work bringing that research-based knowledge to the general public. He's an expert on what makes good relationships and good families, and he has great ideas on how those concepts can apply in the workplace. In this episode, we discuss: 

• Promoting happy and healthy relationships
• The marriage and family help landscape and Dave's assessment of it
• How families and organizations can benefit from this field of knowledge

Links and Other Information 

• Dave's website: https://www.drdavespeaks.com/
• Dave on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU/
• The Gottman Institute: https://www.gottman.com/
• VIA Character Strengths: free assessment
• Related episode: Clayton Christensen--How Will You Measure Your Life

Everything is awesome! Except when it’s not. Positivity, although generally valued, can have real downsides in our human relationships and in our organizations. We explore in this episode, specifically:

- What toxic positivity is and some different forms of it

- Why toxic positivity can be harmful

- Implications for all of us

Links and Other Information

There’s a dark side to looking on the bright side. Here’s a healthier antidote. Article by Laura Gallaher in Fast Company

What is Toxic Positivity? Article by Kendra Cherry

Ashkanasy, N. M., & Dorris, A. D. (2017). Emotions in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 67-90. Click here

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Many of us have worked for someone we suspected might be a narcissist, or maybe have simply wondered, "What's wrong with this person?" Some of you may not be able to get enough of yourself.  In this episode we talk about Narcissism and leadership.  

• What is narcissism?
• What do narcissistic leaders do in organizations? 
• How to spot, avoid, and deal with narcissistic leaders around you.

"Narcissism and self-deception are survival mechanisms without which many of us might just jump off a bridge.” –Todd Solondz

Scholars often cite naval aircraft carriers as prototypical examples of “high-reliability” organizations. Such organizations, they suggest, are able to engage daily with risky technologies in a remarkably safe manner because of the ways in which people interact, communicate, and adhere to common principles.  In this episode we explore:

• What is a “high reliability organization?”
• What can “normal” organizations learn from aircraft carriers?
• Additional lessons from modern aircraft carriers that can be helpful.

Being the new person can be really tough. And helping newcomers is an important part of how we make teams work and how we get along well in society. In this episode, we discuss: 

- What does it mean to feel welcomed

- Why it matters in the workplace and in broader society

- Tips for all of us

Links and Other Information

Siegel, A., Esqueda, M., Berkowitz, R., Sullivan, K., Astor, R. A., & Benbenishty, R. (2019). Welcoming parents to their child’s school: Practices supporting students with diverse needs and backgrounds. Education and Urban Society, 51(6), 756-784. Click here 

Eisenkraft, N., & Elfenbein, H. A. (2010). The way you make me feel: Evidence for individual differences in affective presence. Psychological Science, 21(4), 505-510. Click here 

Madrid, H. P., Totterdell, P., Niven, K., & Barros, E. (2016). Leader affective presence and innovation in teams. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(5), 673-686. Click here 

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Ben and Chris discuss:

• History of the HR function
• What's wrong with how HR often functions given the changing nature of work
• Why HR is essential for the success of organizations in the future and some ways it must change

Rachel Wernicke is a clinical psychologist and leadership coach, currently serving as an associate dean and chief mental health officer at George Mason University. She’s also a U.S. Army veteran, and in today’s episode, we talk with her about self-talk--what it is, why it matters, and how it can be harmful or helpful. We discuss:  

- What is self-talk

- Different types of self-talk and examples

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

- More about Rachel Wernicke: website and TEDx talk 

- Bunting, N. (2016). The Mindful Leader: 7 Practices for Transforming Your Leadership, Your Organisation, and Your Life. Melbourne, Australia: Wiley. Click here 

- Flaxman, P.E., Bond, F.W., & Livheim, F. (2013). The Mindful and Effective Employee: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Manual for Improving Well-Being and Performance. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. Click here

- Rogelberg, S. G., Justice, L., Braddy, P. W., Paustian‐Underdahl, S. C., Heggestad, E., Shanock, L., Baran, B., Beck, T., Long, S., Andrew, A., Altman, D., and Fleenor, J. (2013). The executive mind: leader self‐talk, effectiveness and strain. Journal of Managerial Psychology. Click here

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What value is there in thinking deeply about life’s persistent questions? It’s tremendous, according to Matt Jordan--and we agree. Matt is the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Dean and Chair for the Humanities at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, and he joined us to discuss the purpose of higher education, and more specifically, about the value of the humanities. We talked about living the good life, being a thoughtful person, how the humanities can foster civil discourse, and so much more. 

Links and Other Information

Check out Matt and his co-hosts on the Three Questions, Three Drinks Podcast

Matt Jordan’s book chapter, “Inquiry as Occupation” - click here

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at Cuyahoga Community College - click here 

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We are drawing from the great book by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most.  If you ARE Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, or Sheila Heen, let us know--we’d love to have you on!

In this episode we discuss:

• what is a difficult conversation and when to have them
• the three conversations
• how to prepare for and conduct difficult conversations

Do you feel compelled to work? Is your work difficult to stop thinking about? Are you upset if you have to miss a day of work? Do you tend to work beyond the actual requirements of your job? If so, you might be a workaholic–and so are almost half of U.S workers. Our guest today is Malissa Clark, author of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business–and How to Fix it. Malissa is an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Georgia, where she has been on faculty since 2013, and she joined us for a deep conversation all about workaholism–what it is, why it matters, and what we can do about it. If you care at all about your work and your life, this is simply an episode you can’t miss. 

Links and Other Information

Malissa's book, Never Not Working: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Not-Working-Always-Business/dp/1647825091 

Malissa Clark’s website: https://www.malissaclark.com/ 

Malissa Clark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malissa-clark-0387991a/ 

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One way to tilt the odds in your favor is to use evidence when making decisions and choices. But our typical use of evidence isn’t optimal. We can do better. In this episode, we talk with one of the world’s leading voices regarding evidence-based practice, Rob Briner. He is a professor of organizational psychology at Queen Mary, University of London and the co-founder and scientific director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management. He has received several awards for his work in this area including the British Psychological Society Division of Occupational Psychology Academic Contribution to Practice Award in 2014 and topped HR Magazine’s Most Influential Thinker list in 2016. In our conversation we discuss the following (and more):  

• What is evidence-based practice and what is it not?
• Why is it difficult and what are some of the barriers?
• How to get started with evidence-based practice

Links and Other Information

• Rob Briner: website, YouTube channel, Twitter, LinkedIn 
• The Basics of Evidence-Based Practice: article in People + Strategy 
• Center for Evidence-Based Management: website 
• Why Don’t We Need the Whole Truth? Click here  
• Banana guards: Click here 

Love them or hate them, meetings are everywhere. But we really do need good meetings for teams and organizations to work. Steven Rogelberg is the world’s top evidence-based expert on meetings. He’s the author of the 2019 hit book The Surprising Science of Meetings and more recently, he wrote and published a new book, Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings. It’s a fascinating and useful look at how we can truly use intentional, thoughtful one-on-one meetings to create stronger relationships, better workplaces, and maybe even a better world. Tune in for this wonderful, jam-packed conversation with the one and only Steven Rogelberg. 

Links and Other Information

Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings - https://www.amazon.com/Glad-We-Met-Science-Meetings/dp/0197641873

The Surprising Science of Meetings - https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Science-Meetings-Lead-Performance/dp/0190689218 

Steven Rogelberg’s website - https://www.stevenrogelberg.com/ 

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The COVID pandemic continues on, yet it will end someday. And it’s a good idea for leaders everywhere to be thoughtful about preparing for the future--starting TODAY. In this episode, we discuss what the post-pandemic environment might look like for leaders and organizations, specifically: 

- What practices might stay in place

- What might change

- What leaders can do now 

Links and Other Information

Yuan, Z., Ye, Z., & Zhong, M. (2021). Plug back into work, safely: Job reattachment, leader safety commitment, and job engagement in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(1), 62-70. click here

SHRM article: 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2021 and Beyond

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The Indigo Podcast's hosts, Ben and Chris, discuss what managerial derailment is and why it happens, practical ways in which people can reduce the probability of derailing themselves, and steps for organizations to avoid having their managers derail.

Podcast articles and links mentioned by Chris and Ben:

• Shipper, F., & Dillard Jr, J. E. (2000). A study of impending derailment and recovery of middle managers across career stages. Human Resource Management, 39, 331-345. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Herman_Aguinis/publication/227496278_Enhancing_the_relevance_of_organizational_behavior_by_embracing_performance_management_research/links/5c6aac7f299bf1e3a5af7079/Enhancing-the-relevance-of-organizational-behavior-by-embracing-performance-management-research.pdf 
• Carson, M. A., Shanock, L. R., Heggestad, E. D., Andrew, A. M., Pugh, S. D., & Walter, M. (2012). The relationship between dysfunctional interpersonal tendencies, derailment potential behavior, and turnover. Journal of Business and Psychology, 27, 291-304 https://www.cbs.dk/files/cbs.dk/denisietal_jap2017.pdf 
• Link to Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For  https://www.amazon.com/Be-Boss-Everyone-Wants-Work/dp/1626566259/ 
• The First 90 Days https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/1422188612/ 

www.indigoanchor.com

www.indigotogether.com 

Cheryl Gray studies unhelpful help, which refers to those times when a supervisor or coworker does something that others perceive as being intended as helpful but actually is unhelpful or even harmful. In this episode, Cheryl joined us to discuss unhelpful help, and we explore: 

- What is unhelpful help and why does it matter

- Cutting-edge emerging research on unhelpful help

- Implications for people, leaders, and organizations

Links and Other Information

Gray, C. E., Spector, P. E., Lacey, K. N., Young, B. G., Jacobsen, S. T., & Taylor, M. R. (2020). Helping may be Harming: Unintended negative consequences of providing social support. Work & Stress, 34(4), 359-385. Click here 

Paul Spector’s blog post on unhelpful help

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What would you do if you had everything you wanted? What if you didn't have to work and your life was perfect? What then? In this episode, we unpack our thoughts regarding:

• What does it mean to have “made it” in life and society?
• Why there’s more beyond the struggle of life and why that matters
• How all of us might start or continue that journey and make the world better

Links and Other Information

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Bosses can be bad for many reasons. One reason is that they were promoted based upon technical expertise yet lack leadership and interpersonal skills. In this episode, we discuss that situation. Specifically, we address:

- How being a technical expert who fails at leadership is one of many ways in which a manager can be a bad boss

- What we can learn from the research on abusive supervision

- Dealing with this particular type of bad boss: Tips if you’re in this situation

Links and Other Information

Tepper, B. J., Simon, L., & Park, H. M. (2017). Abusive supervision. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 123-152. Click here

Harvey, P., Stoner, J., Hochwarter, W., & Kacmar, C. (2007). Coping with abusive supervision: The neutralizing effects of ingratiation and positive affect on negative employee outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 264-280. Click here 

Bad bosses: Dealing with Abusive Supervisors (article) 

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- How learning about leadership through unthoughtful observation doesn’t work

- How we might think about our leadership as a product that we need to iterate based on evidence based practice

- Implications for leaders, individuals and organizations

Links and Other Information

- All episodes of The Indigo Podcast

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Today’s episode comes from a recommendation from one of our many amazing listeners. So, this one’s for you, Kate!  And the topic we’re addressing today is mentoring.

• What is mentoring and its types
• Mentoring programs contrasted with coaching and leadership development
• Advice for those who seek mentoring

Networking ... some people love it and some people don't.
Everyone says it's valuable. Today we discuss:

• Networking defined and some forms that it takes
• Research on networking and its outcomes
• Practical steps for enhancing your career--and your current job
• Final note about networking during COVID-19

Show Notes

Wolff, H. G., & Moser, K. (2009). Effects of networking on career success: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 196. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2009-00697-007 

Hargadon, A., & Sutton, R. I. (1997). Technology brokering and innovation in a product development firm. Administrative Science Quarterly, 716-749. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2393655?seq=1

Ingram, P., & Morris, M. W. (2007). Do people mix at mixers? Structure, homophily, and the “life of the party”. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52(4), 558-585. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2189/asqu.52.4.558

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3157260

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3157260

Few ideas in business are as commonly discussed as leadership. Just think about all of the business books and articles and videos and bits of advice–all dealing with this topic. And sometimes with common ideas we forget what exactly we’re talking about. We’re going back to the basics and talking about what is leadership, actually? In this episode, we discuss:

• What are we talking about when we talk about leadership
• What do we know about leadership and how it works
• How we each make progress in our leader development journeys

Links and Other Information

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Amid the chaos and many challenges we face in society, what can we do so that we don’t fall apart? We explore in this episode, including:

- Why it might feel like the world is falling apart

- What institutions are and why they matter

- How we can strengthen human institutions and move forward with hope

Links and Other Information

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• Institutional strengthening: Guidance from Catholic Relief Services
• What can you do about the Trumpites next door? Column in the LA Times (which we view as having a highly problematic perspective): click here   
• Ben’s blog about William Blake’s idea of “mind-forged manacles”

What would it look like if every time someone wronged us, we responded with our most basic instincts: avoidance or revenge? This is one of the most critical types of situations in which we find ourselves torn between what we want to do and what makes the world a better place. In this episode, we explore the science of forgiveness, including:

- What is forgiveness and ways to think about it

- How forgiveness develops and its links with well-being

- Implications for all of us

Links and Other Information

McCullough, M. E., & Witvliet, C. V. (2002). The psychology of forgiveness. Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2, 446-455. 

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The idea of strategy is one that many people get wrong. But Chuck Bamford gets it RIGHT. He’s an author, speaker, consultant, and scholar. In this illuminating and lively conversation with Chuck, we discuss common myths about strategy and much more, including: 

- What strategy is and the landscape of strategy formulation implementation

- How strategy really works

- How leaders can actually get their organizations to think about and do strategy the right way

Links and Other Information

More about Chuck Bamford: website

Chuck’s book The Strategy Mindset 2.0: Click here 

All of Chuck’s books: Check them out! 

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What is talent management, anyway? And what does it have to do with how the workplace is changing? We explore these questions and more in this phenomenal episode with Marisa Carson, Ph.D. Specifically, we discuss: 

• How an organizational psychologist ended up working in talent management
• How the workplace is changing amid COVID and other social shifts 
• Implications for talent management in the future

Links and Other Information

• Related episode: Enrica Ruggs on Race, Organizations, and the Role of Leaders 

What is humor? Why does it matter with regard to the workplace? How can it help organizations and leaders? In this episode, we talk with comedian and speaker David Horning about the changing nature of work and how humor fits into it all. Specifically, we discuss:

• The work landscape
• Why humor helps
• How to--how NOT to--incorporate humor into the workplace and leadership

Links and Other Information

• David Horning’s website
• David’s organization, Water Cooler Comedy
• David's podcast, You Can't Laugh at That
• David on Twitter
• Avolio, B. J., Howell, J. M., & Sosik, J. J. (1999). A funny thing happened on the way to the bottom line: Humor as a moderator of leadership style effects. Academy of Management Journal, 42(2), 219-227. Click here
• Pundt, A., & Venz, L. (2017). Personal need for structure as a boundary condition for humor in leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(1), 87-107. Click here
• Huo, Y., Lam, W., & Chen, Z. (2012). Am I the only one this supervisor is laughing at? Effects of aggressive humor on employee strain and addictive behaviors. Personnel Psychology, 65(4), 859-885. Click here 

There is a lot we can say about why people quit and how you can retain them, hence a "part 2" to this discussion.  We cover the following.

• Turnover and retention--what the research says
• Retention management--evidence based guidelines
• Unfolding model of turnover
• Organizational commitment and withdrawal

Among the scholars who study the world of work, Paul Spector is a giant. A 2012 Indiana University study and a 2019 Stanford University study listed Paul as one of the 10 most influential business management researchers worldwide. In this episode, we discuss:

- The field of occupational health psychology and why it matters

- Signs of healthy and unhealthy workplaces

- How to create organizations that are better suited for the psychological and physical health of their members

Links and Other Information

Paul Spector’s blog: https://paulspector.com/

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This episode is all about employee and career burnout.  We've all been there, or know someone who has ... but what can we do besides say, "Take this job and shove it?"  Organizational researchers have evidence that offers us alternative solutions which may work out a bit better than having a Jerry Maguire moment. So today we discuss:

• What is burnout?
• How to recognize burnout in yourself and others.
• What can be done about burnout at the individuals and organizational levels?

Is the boss always watching you? With the proliferation of employee monitoring technologies, it’s becoming increasingly likely. But employee surveillance--electronic or otherwise--must be handled with care. In this episode, we discuss:

• What is employee surveillance
• Forms and negative reactions to employee surveillance
• Implications for people, leaders and organizations

Links and Other Information

• News about H&M and employee surveillance: BBC and NY Post
• Yost, A. B., Behrend, T. S., Howardson, G., Darrow, J. B., & Jensen, J. M. (2019). Reactance to electronic surveillance: A test of antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 34(1), 71-86. Click here 

Drawing upon decades of research, we describe what science suggests regarding how leaders actually develop. Specifically, we explore:

• What is leader development and why does it matter
• What do we know about leader development and how does it happen
• Implications for people and organizations

Links and Other Information

• McCall Jr, M. W. (2010). Recasting leadership development. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(1), 3-19. Click here

• Day, D. V., Fleenor, J. W., Atwater, L. E., Sturm, R. E., & McKee, R. A. (2014). Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25 years of research and theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), 63-82. Click here

• Related episodes: Mentoring, Managers as Coaches, Creating a Feedback Culture