Research Summary July 2022
The conversation flowed so well in last month’s leadership chat that we asked Andy and Juliet to do it again. They picked three articles from the leadership longlist and delved beneath the headlines to explain the ‘so what?’.
The result is a twenty-minute conversation of pure gold. From HR practitioners being encouraged to put their scientist’s goggles on and adopt an experimental mindset, to the power of strong personal connections and small changes in addressing stress, driving culture change and team performance. Dive in and listen, you won’t be disappointed.
Watch Andy & Juliet’s leadership chat below
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In times of constant change and uncertainty – think like a scientist. Experiment and learn. Org psychologist Adam Grant’s research found that employers are too focused on where staff work instead of being curious about when, how, why and with whom. Time to experiment.
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How to avoid burnout? Employee wellbeing is supported by alignment (fit to their work and employer), support, resilience and balance. This is not the same for everyone, so leaders should build strong personal connections with team members to support them appropriately work well.
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McKinsey reissued a classic paper about leadership – demonstrating how small changes make big differences in teamwork. Giving each-other time away from meetings to reflect, identifying focus areas together, being curious in a positive mindset enables others to do the same.
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The FT reports ‘institutional inadequacy’ in the way leaders are developed and valued in the UK NHS. The govt promises a shake-up in leadership – the 3Cs provide a simple yet powerful framework for leaders at all levels in an org to share a vision and deliver performance.
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Zoom fatigue is real – videoconferencing messes with our eye contact cues, our expectations of intimacy (faces shouldn’t be so close!) and of course the time lag in conversations. If you can’t avoid zoom then make efforts to allow people to relax and feel at ease.
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McKinsey research finds work experience accounts for almost half of lifetime earnings – so while education sets workers on a path, job learning adds significant value. The best way to boost this is to move companies, which prompts the question why not promote internally?
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Ex-CHRO Google says hybrid is the optimal model for productivity and happiness. Research reported in Forbes by Citrix on 2800 employees found hybrid workers reported higher productivity and stronger connection with peers than either remote or office based colleagues.
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How do leaders manage politically charged behaviours in the workplace? This is becoming more common and HBR suggest: introduce norms early (at onboarding), focus on common ground, channel disagreement productively. Leaders need to demonstrate care for others’ views.
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