To be a great innovator, learn to embrace and thrive in uncertainty
Innovators don't ignore risk; they are just better able to analyze it in uncertain situations.
19 September, 2020
David McNew/Getty Images
Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, was America's first female self-made millionaire.
<p> She pioneered a line of hair care and beauty products for people of color early in the 20th century, and the recent Netflix series "Self Made" details the story of this talented innovator and the challenges she overcame on the way to her success.</p><p>To accomplish her goals, she had to face overwhelming uncertainties. How would she finance her business? Would her partnerships fail? Would her products sell? Would ruthless competition and racism get in her way? Madame Walker's future was far from certain when she began her journey, but that did not dissuade her.</p><p>It is tempting to think that innovators are a breed apart or perhaps lucky to be in the right place and time. But research shows this is not the case. So what characteristics do innovators like Madam Walker have that lead them to the seemingly serendipitous moment? What makes for a successful innovator or entrepreneur?</p><p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=qxpLL24AAAAJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">researcher and professor</a> who studies strategy and entrepreneurship. I am also myself an entrepreneur, angel investor and board member for startups and innovative firms. Pop culture might have you believe it is a tolerance for or even an obsession with risk that makes great innovators. But in fact, research has for decades demonstrated that innovators and entrepreneurs are <a href="https://hbr.org/2009/12/the-innovators-dna" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">no more risk-taking than the average person</a>.</p><p>Generally, innovators are much more comfortable making decisions under conditions of uncertainty than the average person. Additionally, innovators tend to have a set of skills that allows them to better navigate this uncertainty. My experience and research has shown that not only are these abilities effective, but they can also be learned and practiced and anyone can improve their innovation skills.</p>
<h2>What is risk? What is uncertainty?</h2><p>Risk is when the factors determining success or failure are out of your control but the odds of success are known – a game of dice, for example. You can't control whether a 2 or a 12 is rolled, but you know the odds.</p><p>Uncertainty is when the factors determining success or failure are not necessarily out of your control, but are simply unknown. It is accepting a challenge to play a game that you do not completely know the rules of. Innovators tend to be more willing to venture into the unknown, and therefore are more likely to engage in ambitious projects even when <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0149206305279486" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">outcomes and probabilities</a> are a mystery.</p><p>Interestingly, risk and uncertainty appear to trigger <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00927" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">activity in different parts of the brain</a>. Functional magnetic resonance imaging has allowed researchers to discover that risk analysis is a largely rational and calculation-driven process, but uncertainty triggers the ancient fight-or-flight part of the brain. This research would suggest that experienced innovators are better able to maintain their analytical capabilities in spite of the adrenaline and instinctual response that arises when confronting uncertainty.</p><p>Innovators don't ignore risk; they are just better able to analyze it in uncertain situations.</p>
<h2>Skills of innovation can be learned</h2><p>The chemical response to risk and uncertainty may be hardwired in our brains, but that doesn't mean you are either born an innovator or not. Innovative capacity can be learned.</p><p>Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and the late Clay Christensen spent years investigating the characteristics of successful innovators and broadly divide the skills of innovation into two categories: <a href="https://hbr.org/2009/12/the-innovators-dna" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">delivery skills and discovery skills</a>.</p><p>Delivery skills include quantitative analysis, planning, detail-oriented implementation and disciplined execution. These are certainly essential characteristics for success in many occupations, but for innovation, discovery must come before delivery.</p><p>Discovery skills are the ones more involved in developing ideas and managing uncertain situations. The most notable are:</p><ul><li>The ability to draw connections between seemingly disparate ideas and contexts.</li><li>A tendency to question assumptions and the status quo.</li><li>A habit of looking at what is contributing to a problem before rushing to a solution.</li><li>The frequent use of systematic experimentation to prove hypotheses about cause and effect.</li><li>The ability to network and broaden a set of relationships, even without an intentional purpose.</li></ul><p>Like any skills, these can be learned and cultivated through a combination of guidance, practice and experience. By asking the right questions, being observant or mindful, experimenting and networking with the right supporters, innovators will be more likely to identify opportunity and succeed.</p><p>My colleagues' and my own research and experience are summed up in our book "<a href="https://www.titaniceffect.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Titanic Effect</a>." We describe the PEP model of successful entrepreneurs and innovators. It stands for passion, experience and persistence.</p><p>Successful innovators are passionate about the problem they are solving and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/sej.1212" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">share this passion</a> with friends and family, potential customers, supporters and other stakeholders.</p><p>Innovators also tend to have personal experience with the problem they are solving, and this yields valuable insight and firsthand knowledge.</p><p>Finally, innovation takes persistence. As Walker experienced, growing a business – even with proven products – does not happen overnight. It takes someone willing to push the boulder uphill to make it happen, and often, the more disruptive the innovation, the longer society may take to embrace it. Madam Walker amply <a href="https://www.titaniceffect.com/blog/2020/7/17/self-madewhat-can-startups-learn-from-madam-cj-walker" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">personifies the PEP model</a>.</p>
<h2>Innovation now and in the future</h2><p>
During this pandemic, many people might be inclined to batten down the hatches, tighten their belts and ride things out by sticking to what they already know.
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But uncertainty and change create opportunity and a <a href="https://store.hbr.org/product/the-innovator-s-solution-creating-and-sustaining-successful-growth/16444" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">need for innovation</a>. The pandemic has created or exacerbated many problems that are ripe for innovative solutions.
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Practices that were until recently on the fringe of acceptance – such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-telemedicine-is-great-when-you-want-to-stay-distant-from-your-doctor-but-older-laws-are-standing-in-the-way-134885" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">telehealth</a>, food or grocery delivery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/chess-is-taking-over-the-online-video-game-world-and-both-are-changing-from-this-unlikely-pairing-143790" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">e-sports</a> and online education – are now being accepted by mainstream society. As with anything relatively new, there is lots of room for radical improvement.
</p><p>Now is not the time to put blinders on and close your eyes to uncertainty. If you build your discovery skills, you are more likely to create opportunity and persist through uncertainty. Like Walker, anyone can cultivate the abilities to navigate uncertainty and create positive change. Innovators are not a breed apart.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143876/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/todd-saxton-301452" target="_blank">Todd Saxton</a>, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/iupui-2368" target="_blank">IUPUI</a></em></p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-be-a-great-innovator-learn-to-embrace-and-thrive-in-uncertainty-143876" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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7 steps to build a mentally healthy workplace
Six in 10 people say poor mental health impacts their concentration at work.
06 September, 2020
Photo by Guilherme Cunha on Unsplash
Good mental health enables people to realize their full potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their communities.
<p> However the growing burden of mental illness is staggering. At a global level, one-in-four people will likely experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">over 300 million people are estimated to suffer from depression</a>, equivalent to 4.4% of the world's population, and 800,000 people take their own lives each year.</p><p>The number of people living with depression increased by more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. <a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/89966/1/9789241506021_eng.pdf?ua=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Taken together, mental, neurological and substance use disorders exact a high toll, </a>accounting for <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/action/showFullTextImages?pii=S2215-0366%2815%2900505-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">13% of the total global burden of disease</a> (as measured in DALYs, or disability-adjusted life-years). More than <a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/254610/1/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf?ua=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">80% of this disease</a> burden is among people living in low- and middle-income countries.</p><p>The economic consequences of poor mental health are equally significant. A <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Harvard_HE_GlobalEconomicBurdenNonCommunicableDiseases_2011.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Economic Forum/Harvard School of Public Health study</a> estimated that the cumulative global impact of mental disorders in terms of lost economic output will amount to $16.3 trillion between 2011 and 2030. In <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_EconomicNonCommunicableDiseasesIndia_Report_2014.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India, mental illness is estimated to cost $1.03 trillion</a> (22% of economic output) between 2012-2030. For the same period, China is estimated to lose <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_EconomicNonCommunicableDiseasesIndia_Report_2014.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">$4.5 trillion</a> to mental illness. These estimates illustrate the urgency that is needed to tackle mental illness.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzY3MDQwNi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNTY5OTg5OH0.P3Qzld5c2XuNwHghdAAmoh7cKE2UYh3aJEuJjRnBG8o/img.png?width=980" id="5f790" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8319a1d36f793460526a6e742b914d91" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Distribution of years lived with disability at the global level in 2012" />
Image: WHO (2014) – Global Health Estimates
<h2>The toll of lost productivity</h2><p>Untreated mental disorders (in employees or their family members) result in diminished productivity at work, reduced rates of labour participation, foregone tax based income, increase in workplace accidents, higher turnover of staff and increased welfare payments. Six in 10 people say poor mental health impacts their concentration at work and estimates indicate that nearly <a href="https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/articles/workplace-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">70 million work days</a> are lost each year in the UK because of poor mental health.</p><p>It is also increasingly evident the negative role that stigma plays by decreasing the chances of people seeking proper diagnosis and treatment. For example, according to a <a href="http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/promotion/mental/index-eng.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2008 survey in Canada</a>, just 50% of Canadians would tell friends or co-workers that they have a family member with a mental illness, compared to 72% who would discuss a diagnosis of cancer and 68% who would talk about a family member having diabetes.</p><p>The good news is that evidence is showing that treating anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions is an affordable and cost effective way to promote wellbeing and prosperity.</p><p>Just $1 of investment in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to a return of $4 in better health and ability to work. This is good for individuals, families, communities, economies and societies at large.</p><p>Employers can become agents of change. The risk factors for stress in the workplace can be modified, and an organizational climate that promotes wellbeing and creativity can be developed by targeting workplace policies as well as the needs of individual employees. Similarly, effective treatments exist for common mental disorders, and an employer can facilitate access to care to those who may need it.</p><h2>What can employers do?</h2><p>Mental health experts from across the world of business, civil society and academia were brought together by the World Economic Forum as part of the Global Agenda Council on Mental Health to develop a <a href="https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/articles/global-agenda-council-mental-health-seven-actions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">practical toolkit to promote a mentally healthy organization</a>. This toolkit aimed to support individuals – no matter where they sit in an organization – to develop and build a case for tackling mental illness in the workplace. Seven key actions can lead to mentally healthier workplaces:</p><p><strong>1. Be aware of the workplace environment </strong>and how it can be adapted to promote better mental health for you, your colleagues and the organization. Every work place is unique. It's important that before starting you source the necessary information about where you work, to determine what policies will be best suited to your company.</p><p><strong>2. Learn from the motivations of organizational leaders and employees who have taken action.</strong> There is typically no single motivation but, rather, several motivations working in combination, including: protecting the mental health and wellbeing of employees; doing the "right thing" for the employees; benefits in employee engagement and reputation and managing costs and liabilities.</p><p><strong>3. Don't reinvent the wheel. </strong>Be aware of other companies who have taken action, and how. Around the world companies and organizations are already putting mental health policies into place. The toolkit includes case studies from Bank of England, Bell Canada, BHP Billiton, British Telecom Group, Kind & Wood & Mallesons, among others.</p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>4. Understand the opportunities and needs of you and your colleagues</strong>, in helping to develop better policies for workplace mental health. Every organization is different, and will require a unique set of policies to best deal with the needs of its staff. It's therefore important to identify what these needs are, and how a workplace mental health programme could begin to address these.</p><p><strong>5. Take practical steps to help your organization.</strong> Workplace strategies to protect, promote, and address mental health are commonly delivered by building internal and external partnerships. The successful delivery of any mental health initiative relies on collaboration. Employees can seek educational materials, leverage local training programmes, either use or promote with human resources the use of the adequate diagnostic tools and move forward with the development, implementation and evaluation of workplace wellbeing strategies.</p><p><strong>6. Find out where to go if you or a colleague needs help.</strong> Getting help for a mental health problem can be a personal and emotional challenge for some people. The important thing is not to be afraid of asking for support, or of being there for colleagues that may need support.</p><p><strong>7. Get started. </strong>As Dr Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization and a psychiatrist that shepherded the notion that mental and physical health were intimately linked, famously said: "<a target="_blank">without mental health there can be no true physical health</a>".</p><p>Reprinted with permission of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Economic Forum</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/7-steps-for-a-mentally-healthy-workplace/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">original article</a>.</p>
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Why your rapport with coworkers is about much more than small talk
Scientists have proven that small talk with coworkers leads to stronger team cultures and better collaboration.
26 August, 2020
Shutterstock
- A recent Rutgers study has found that although small talk in the office can be distracting, employees and employers alike gain far more from these seemingly trivial interactions than we lose.
- Non-work banter can lead to more cohesive culture and higher-quality output.
- To deliver output with a higher value, you need to view productivity through a different lens, one that has leeway for freeform discourse.
<p>As remote working has become an integral <a href="https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/creative-expression-during-covid-19" target="_self">part of the "new normal,"</a> there has been plenty of speculation over its effects on people's productivity. Much of this tends to focus on the more tangible aspects, such as a longer working day due to reduced commuting, or the individual home office setup. </p><p>But a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341950505_Office_Chit-Chat_as_a_Social_Ritual_The_Uplifting_Yet_Distracting_Effects_of_Daily_Small_Talk_at_Work" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recent study</a> out of the Department of Human Resource Management at Rutgers has uncovered that there are far more subtle forces at play. Specifically, while small talk in the office can be distracting, employees and employers alike gain far more from these seemingly trivial interactions than we lose. And when we're working from home, that type of banter simply doesn't flow in the same way.</p><p>While the effects of office small talk are difficult to quantify, the study expands on its many benefits. Notably, small talk "enhanced employees' daily positive social emotions at work, which translated into heightened organizational citizenship behaviors and greater wellbeing." In turn, this made them more likely to go the extra mile for their colleagues and the company. </p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU4NDY3My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzAzMjQ1MH0.4ppxM-xn9FQG3FytzA480Zdo4gOyr2-603PAziTedss/img.png?width=980" id="74ab8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1dde547ecaedf9052ec626ee65954939" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="women laughing and looking at phone screen" /><p>The study does acknowledge the distraction factor of office chitchat, which will be a more familiar take on the topic for those used to a stricter boss. However, frowning on small talk as a distraction uses a very narrow, somewhat old-school definition of productivity that fails to consider the holistic set of factors governing optimal output.</p>
<p>As Matthew Guay, the founding editor of Capiche, <a href="https://capiche.com/e/no-productivity-software" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">put it</a>, you might be able to build a software stack that allows you to accomplish more. "More on its own, though, isn't enough," he wrote. "A better notes app might help you write more notes. A better to-do list app might get you to list more stuff. A better email app might help you hit inbox zero, and email everyone you've met." But to deliver output with a higher value, you need to view productivity through a different lens, one that has leeway for freeform discourse.</p>
<p>Indeed, the Rutgers study found that, overall, the positive impacts of small talk mitigated any adverse effects of being distracted from work. </p>
<p>In many ways, this isn't new information. Even before the pandemic took hold, experts were extolling the virtues of small talk. It's <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90388411/4-reasons-why-it-pays-to-get-better-at-small-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said to help</a> individuals stand a better chance of being included in projects. Foreign workers excluded by language barriers also <a href="https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/big-benefits-of-small-talk-in-the-workplace-02098547" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report feeling lethargic</a> due to feelings of loneliness and isolation stemming from a lack of engagement with co-workers. </p>
<p>On the other hand, seeing a proper peer-reviewed scientific study confirming what we know about small talk in the workplace is gratifying and especially poignant, given the current realities of remote work.</p>
Not just trivial chat
<p>Of course, every office is likely to have at least one or two curmudgeons who perceive all small talk as meaningless chit chat, and we're all better off letting these people do their thing unfettered. However, when taken across an entire workforce, the positive benefits for the organization start to stack up. </p><p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reality-mining/200911/the-water-cooler-effect" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">One study by MIT</a> found that office small talk promoted cohesion among employees, even in regimented environments such as call centers. </p><p>There's even reason to believe that teams come up with the best ideas when they are shooting the breeze, as opposed to working on ideas. "We have this very rich vocabulary to describe moments of inspiration," noted "Where Good Ideas Come From" author Steven Johnson in <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_johnson_where_good_ideas_come_from" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">his 2010 TED Talk</a> of the same name.</p><p>"All of these concepts, as rhetorically florid as they are, share this basic assumption, which is that an idea is a single thing. It's something that happens often in a wonderful, illuminating moment. But, in fact, what I would argue and what you <em>really</em> need to begin with is this idea that an idea is a <em>network</em>."</p><p>Showing a slide of William Hogarth's 1755 painting "An Election Entertainment," Johnson noted that "This is the kind of chaotic environment where ideas were likely to come together, where people were likely to have new, interesting, unpredictable collisions, people from different backgrounds." Sounds like something hard to accomplish when we're relegated to individual bubbles. "So if we're trying to build organizations that are more innovative," Johnson concluded, "we have to build spaces that, strangely enough, look a bit more like this."</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU4NDY3Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzY3NjI5Mn0.ZDfoKvvTpUgRO196wvdPfEKJNX89FG93oKwd3IzOgco/img.jpg?width=980" id="11075" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6199faddbbe734be7ed6a0f40431ce41" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
"An Election Entertainment," William Hogarth
Wikimedia Commons
<p>In 2017, IBM, one of the original pioneers of remote working, <a href="https://qz.com/924167/ibm-remote-work-pioneer-is-calling-thousands-of-employees-back-to-the-office/" target="_blank">recalled workers</a> to the office in a bid to promote better collaboration and improve organizational agility. Ryan Holmes, founder of the social media management tool Hootsuite would no doubt agree with the strategy. He <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanholmes/2017/12/11/how-2000-random-coffees-changed-my-companys-culture/#5f3d226c4ffc" target="_blank">credits</a> a cross-departmental initiative matching employees for coffee dates with having transformed the culture of his company, creating a mindset of open conversation.</p> <p>All this underscores the role that seemingly trivial conversations can play in building a company culture based around trust and communication. This type of culture is the most <a href="https://www.greatplacetowork.com/images/media/2018_millennials_report_3.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">critical driver</a> for employee retention among the notoriously transient millennial generation. </p> <p>However, many of us are now working remotely for the foreseeable future, and there is a <a href="https://diginomica.com/traditional-office-dead-major-change-ahead-workplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lot of talk</a> that the traditional office may be consigned to history. </p> <p>So what does this mean for small talk and even more importantly, overall employee wellbeing and productivity? </p>A risky proposition
<p>Pandemic-induced remote working practices mean that employees are working <a href="https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-teleworking-and-productivity" target="_blank">longer hours</a> than ever before, promoting an "always-on" culture. Despite a significant increase in working time, around <a href="https://digital.com/coronavirus-employee-work-from-home-productivity/" target="_blank">30 percent of U.S. employees</a> report being less productive than they were before the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. Neither is this an American phenomenon – a <a href="https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-teleworking-and-productivity" target="_blank">study from Japan</a> shows similar worrying trends.</p><p>Of course, there are confounding factors at play here. Many employees are caring for or homeschooling their children alongside their daily work. Some won't have an appropriate home office setup or decent connectivity. The overriding feelings of anxiety brought on by the pandemic and its far-reaching implications will also be affecting many people. </p><p>But the sudden change also means that many employees have seen a sudden drop in work-based interactions. The chances are that the majority of leaders are probably unaware of the productivity benefits of small talk, and even those that were aware may not have done much to address the issue. After all, the shift was sudden, and nobody knew how long it would last. </p><p>Either way, the loss of office social interactions represents a risk for companies. Employees may become disengaged, and productivity will drop even further. A company culture of trust and transparency can become that much more nebulous with distance. </p>Redress the balance
<p>Given it seems likely that remote working is here to stay, at least for now, then employers and employees can take some simple steps to help promote social interactions and engagement between remote workers. </p> <p>First of all, make sure that the channels of communication remain open, even if the <a href="https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/videoconferencing" target="_self">communication there is indeed inferior</a> to being in the same room. Most companies operate a chat-based communication system that supports audio calls, video or both – whether it be Slack, Skype, or MS Teams. Create a dedicated channel that's only used for social interactions, and start using it and encouraging others to do so.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU4NDY4Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMjg5MjEyMH0.Z8C5gr6gr660f3H9dCPK2SYb0rsPZuy9_T3HEpqfrak/img.png?width=980" id="c6504" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="193e635b1f3e705cf0844c8b410038b7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="woman in video conferencing meeting" /><p>Set up calendar-based opportunities for social interactions such as a one-hour slot at the start or end of the day without any agenda for work-based discussion and allow people to come or go as they please. You could also organize virtual social activity sessions via video meetings, such as lunches, yoga, book groups, or birthday celebrations.</p>
<p>Managers and leaders need to go the extra mile to maintain communications between the company and employees. This may mean setting up a regular newsletter or blog, or conducting employee surveys. Leaders can participate in ask-me-anything sessions to help promote a culture of open dialogue and transparency. Employee recognition schemes using e-cards can help to highlight achievements. </p>
Keep talking small
<p>The suddenness of the shift means that employers and employees alike are having to get used to the new normal very fast. But small gestures can go a long way towards achieving a sense of normalcy, even if employees are locked out of their everyday office environment. </p> <p>Even those who are considering a more permanent shift to working at home should be mindful that losing out on small talk and trivial interactions holds far more risks than benefits to net productivity.</p>
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How "thinking about thinking" can help children in school and in life
Teaching your child metacognitive techniques can improve their learning and life skills.
23 July, 2020
Photo by Asia Images Group on Shutterstock
- Metacognition is the idea of "thinking about how we think" - this can give us insight into our feelings, needs and behaviors that allow us to adapt and grow.
- Metacognition can (and should) be taught from an early age to allow for students to do their best in school and in life.
- Simple forms of metacognitive thinking techniques can be taught at home and in the classroom.
<p><em>"Metacognition is a big word for something most of us do every day without even noticing. Reflecting on our own thoughts is how we gain insight into our feelings, needs, behaviors - and how we learn, manage, and adapt to new experiences, challenges, and emotional setbacks. It's the running conversation we have in our heads, mentally sounding ourselves out and making plans." </em>- ChildMind.org</p><p>According to <a href="https://childmind.org/article/how-metacognition-can-help-kids/" target="_blank">ChildMind</a>, teaching our children how to use metacognition proactively can be a powerful tool, helping them overcome obstacles and adapt.</p>
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Why children should learn metacognition from an early age
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwNjM2NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzI4MzUwMX0.rUZDnHDz-ATJTVDu4-8U4nv84X5rnGzAWCSN9UlDYh0/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C351%2C0%2C0&height=700" id="28119" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4d8ec0d774cb198fcd2ae27aebcdaa6d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="children standing on bright yellow background holding books concept of school learning metacognition" />Metacognitive thinking in children can allow them to adapt and overcome obstacles at school and in life.
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<p>In simple terms, metacognitive thinking teaches us about ourselves. According to Tamara Rosier, a learning coach who specializes in metacognitive techniques, thinking about our thinking creates a perspective that allows us to adapt and change to what the situation needs.</p><p>A simple example of metacognitive thinking (or reframing) is this: </p><p><em>"Math tests make me anxious."</em> This is a statement, a thought. Turning to metacognition, this train of thought evolves into<em> "What about math tests make me anxious...and what can do I to change that?"</em> </p><p>According to Rosier, children who are taught to think of themselves as being either "good" or "bad" at a particular task can end up with a fixed mindset that makes them passive in approaching a challenge relating to that task. However, teaching kids to become more metacognitive helps them develop a mindset that leaves more room for growth and adaptation, promoting self-awareness and resilience.</p><p>This isn't just a hunch, there are many studies that prove the worth of teaching metacognition to children. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053810013000068" target="_blank">Research suggests</a> that as students' metacognitive abilities increase, they also achieve at higher levels. </p><p>Even beyond academic learning, metacognition can help young people gain awareness of their own mental states so they can begin to answer important questions like "how do I live a happy life?" and "how do I feel good about myself?"</p>How can we teach our children metacognitive thinking?
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwNjM2OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjQ0MjMwN30.dZjm64puC1SltpbYsJzQEgYsyJvfBqTK-JV9Xfqy7a8/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C87%2C0%2C87&height=700" id="9e72d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="80b44c15587c39705ddfc7488eaf365e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="" />Teaching children metacognition can happen at school and at home with just a few simple tricks...
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<p><strong>Teach children how their brains are wired for growth and productivity.</strong></p><p>How your child thinks about learning will greatly impact their performance while learning. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan_Korstange/publication/330563817_Developing_Growth_Mindset_Through_Reflective_Writing/links/5c4861b8299bf12be3ddba12/Developing-Growth-Mindset-Through-Reflective-Writing.pdf" target="_blank">Research shows</a> that when students are able to develop a growth mindset (compared to a fixed mindset), they are more likely to engage in reflective thinking about how they can learn and grow which serves as motivation to do so. </p><p><strong>Provide opportunities to reflect on what they've learned.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-pathways-metacognition-in-classroom-marilyn-price-mitchell" target="_blank">According to Edutopia</a>, higher-order thinking skills are able to be fostered when students recognize their own cognitive growth. Simple questions like<em> "before this test, I thought earthquakes were caused by _____, but now, I understand them to be caused by ______."</em> </p><p>This kind of thinking promotes the idea that they have learned a new fact or acquired a new skill, which allows them to become more motivated to learn and grow. A very simple way of doing this could be having students keep an education journal where they track things like what tasks they found easy each week at school, what assignments they found most difficult, and what new things they learned as a result of their studies. </p><p><strong>Simple interactions in the classroom can promote metacognition.</strong></p><p>Even the way teachers interact with students can help improve metacognition. Before a class, a teacher could give a few tips on how to actively listen and learn. Following the class, the teacher could ask students to write down three key points from the class. After, the teacher should share what they believe to be three key points from the class and ask students to self-check how closely their answers matched the teacher's answers. </p><p>This activity is able to increase active listening and improve metacognitive monitoring skills at the same time. </p><p><strong>Making the most of "teachable moments" everywhere (at home, in the classroom, etc.) </strong></p><p>You can model metacognition by talking through problems. Children can learn a lot from listening to their parents or teachers use higher-order thinking strategies (or metacognitive thinking) out loud. </p><p>Taking advantage of "teachable moments" like this can allow children to see metacognitive thinking in action and promote the idea that everyone makes mistakes and the best way to correct those mistakes is to work them through and think about it as an opportunity to learn and improve. </p>
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How start-ups raise capital when their bank account is empty
Big Think's co-founder and CEO, Victoria Montgomery Brown, offers six pieces of advice to founders in her forthcoming book.
20 July, 2020
Credit: PM Images via Getty Images
- Big Think's CEO and co-founder Victoria Montgomery Brown explores the challenges of being a female entrepreneur in her forthcoming book, Digital Goddess.
- In one chapter, Brown offers key insights into how to raise capital when you have no money and no MVP.
- She advises to use every edge at your disposal; perseverance and tenacity are essential.
<p>In 2017, 40 percent of entrepreneurs were female, representing a 58 percent uptick in female-owned businesses from a decade prior. Fifty-six percent of college students are <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/the-degrees-of-separation-between-the-genders-in-college-keeps-growing/2019/10/25/8b2e5094-f2ab-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html" target="_blank">female</a>, a complete reversal from fifty years prior, when 58 percent of men filled university halls. Yet in 2017, only 2.2 percent of venture capital (VC) money went to women-founded companies. Society has changed, yet the worlds of start-ups and venture capital are still predominantly run by white men.</p><p>Big Think was founded in 2007 by Victoria Montgomery Brown and Peter Hopkins. As with many start-ups, the fundraising process provides quite a story, one that Brown has now decided to tell. Her forthcoming book, <em><a href="https://bit.ly/2B9sCDz" target="_blank">Digital Goddess: The Unfiltered Lessons of a Female Entrepreneur</a></em> (HarperCollins Leadership), reveals how this website came to be—and how women can overcome barriers in a male-dominated business world. </p><p>Below are six lessons from Brown's chapter on raising capital when you have no money or product. Brown writes that there are essential qualities for starting a business that help you navigate the terrain, such as a having a strong vision and maintaining unflinching tenacity. While some of these came naturally to Brown, others were hard-fought lessons that changed her for the better. The chapter—and the book—is a reminder that with perseverance and dedication to learning, anything is possible.</p>
<h3>Use whatever will get you in the door</h3><p>The greatest challenge every start-up faces is "first money in." Many investors are willing to back a good idea only when someone else has already committed—and they like to know who that someone else is.</p><p>In some ways, being a female founder has its advantages. As Brown writes, a Boston Consulting Group study shows that female-run start-ups outperform male-run start-ups, generating 78 cents in revenue per dollar invested compared to men at 31 cents. That's solid data, but you still need to get in the door.</p><p>Brown leaned heavily on her master's degree from Harvard Business School. This helped tremendously for her first investor meeting with Founder Collective co-founder David Frankel. He was enthusiastic, but he wanted to know who else was interested. Brown turned to former Harvard University president, Larry Summers. His buy-in increased Frankel's interest; he became the lead investor. </p><p>Meeting with such heavyweights is no easy matter for entrepreneurs with no product or history in founding a company. As Brown writes, "Study after study confirms that people tend to equate confidence with competence." Presenting Big Think confidently made the impression needed to secure funding.</p><p>With two investors in, landing Nantucket Nectars founder Tom Scott and billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel was not as challenging as one might assume. Brown writes, "Getting the first investor feels impossible, but if you can pull it off, getting the second is sometimes surprisingly easy."</p><h3>Quit your day job</h3><p>This is one of the hardest aspects of being an entrepreneur. Not only do founders not have the capital needed to launch their company, they sometimes work for years without paying themselves. If investors are going to put money into your project, they have to know you're serious about success.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"People don't like to fund things if the entrepreneur and CEO don't have their entire skin in the game. You better have something big to lose, or how are people going to believe you are all in?"</p><p>With no income or savings, Brown quit her day job in order to devote her every waking hour to Big Think. Self-imposed deadlines made sure she hit her targets. Founding a company isn't comfortable; waiting for relief will only distract you from the work that needs to get done.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"If you truly want to start something—whatever it may be—waiting won't help…put yourself in a position where you <em>must</em> do it."</p><p>Three months after quitting her day job, money showed up in Big Think's bank account. </p><h3>Build momentum</h3><p>If you're trying to convince investors to believe in you—and it is<em> you</em> that they're investing in, more than your product—show them traction, even when you don't have it. Go out and make it happen. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Our investors needed to be intrigued by the idea and see its potential to succeed and to scale, but they also needed to see that I was actually in a place of discomfort if it didn't work out."</p><p>Securing funding before showing a minimal viable product (MVP) is no easy task. Brown knew that she had to show <em>something</em>. Big Think started as a video platform; she needed experts to appear on video. Through their networks, Brown and Hopkins contacted Richard Branson, Moby, the Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman, and famed architect Lee Mindel. They wanted them to be anchors.</p><p>Convincing high-profile business leaders, artists, and academics to partake in a new project is as daunting as landing VCs. When these figures inevitably asked about precedent for such an initiative, Brown turned a potential negative into a positive. "No one. We are reaching out to a very select, initial group of experts to kick-start it."</p><p>Making people feel critical to a project's success is a powerful way to get their endorsement, Brown writes. More importantly, it worked. A risky play between content generators and financial backers worked out. Big Think had momentum. </p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ2NDI2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzIwMzMzMH0.3sLYr31G-fLT6f8P7LJj6RihCHh7hUaenZDR3IJRzto/img.jpg?width=980" id="69df9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="46a3773bba860036123eefb38cbbb229" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><h3>Do your research</h3><p>As mentioned, investors are often more interested you than your product. As Brown writes, fundraising is "about creating a situation where investors get a real glimpse of who you are and why they should invest in <em>you</em>."</p><p>It's not a one-way street. You should also be interested in <em>them</em>.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Be truly interested in the person you are meeting or don't bother meeting."</p><p>Brown advises looking beyond LinkedIn profiles and superficial bullet points. Investigate their interests, such as their passions and philanthropic pursuits. Understand why they might be interested in your venture and where it intersects with their business. Discuss topics outside of the investment opportunity. Engage them as people, not bank accounts.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Helping others feel attractive and special—not in a sexual way but in a human way—helps them see you as a more attractive person, too. But you have to mean it."</p><h3>Learn to say yes</h3><p>The discomfort of being a founder includes stretching your boundaries. PayPal famously iterated numerous times before finding success. Flexibility is key if you want to survive. Sometimes that means admitting your limitations.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Here's something major that HBS [Harvard Business School] taught me. You don't need to know how to do things, you need to know how to ask people to do things for you."</p><p>Finding the right people is one aspect of saying yes. By admitting your limitations, you say yes to help. But there's also saying yes to projects you're not entirely capable of pulling off.</p><p>After scoring a sponsorship with Pfizer, the second Big Think project was with MSNBC. The media company had a deal to provide expert-driven content with GE and SAP. They just didn't have a team to produce it. Being nimble, Big Think could turn it around quickly.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Smaller companies with greater agility can take advantage of this situation if they just have the courage to step up and offer."</p><p>Instead of focusing on the negatives, such as not having a website or even equipment, Brown and Hopkins saw the opportunity. They said yes, and completed the project without a hitch, because they had the foresight to say yes.</p><h3>Learn to say no</h3><p>Not everything demands a yes, however. Discernment matters in the frenetic world of start-ups.</p><p>There are investors, there are people that connect you with investors, and there are charlatans. As the latter often suck up oxygen in any room they enter, it's easy to confuse bluster with their capabilities.</p><p>And so we meet "Jake," who in the early days of Big Think promised a lot, demanded more, and delivered nothing.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"He hadn't brought us any investors, he hadn't booked any experts, he hadn't helped us put together the deck, so what were we doing spending time with him? He felt sort of sleazy, like a smooth talker but not a doer."</p><p>Brown told Jake he was not getting equity without deliverables during their final meeting. This news did not go over well. Jake yelled and stormed out. Such momentary discomfort is a low price for not giving up even a piece of your business. Calling our charlatans demands that you say no. Thankfully, for the future of Big Think, one bad evening paid off in the long run.</p>
<a href="https://bit.ly/2B9sCDz" ><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQ4Mzc1MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMzA0MDc1MX0.BUaAlP7Az-koBmkFRaKoySbTMJNFymd8jrgXti6eAOU/img.jpg?width=980" id="0811f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a6ba096a73c8e8c01c9433d8e1a5e33a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /></a>
Credit: Harper Collins
<p><strong><a href="https://bit.ly/2ZAbMqO" target="_blank">Get the free download:</a></strong><strong> 7 Things You Need to Sort Out Before Starting a Business</strong></p><p><em>Digital Goddess: The Unfiltered Lessons of a Female Entrepreneur </em>by Big Think founder Victoria Montgomery Brown is available for <a href="https://bit.ly/2B9sCDz" target="_blank">preorder now</a>.</p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://derekberes.substack.com/" target="_blank">Substack</a>. His next book is</em> "<em>Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</em></p>
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