Online Articles

By Shawn Achor If you observe people around you, you’ll find most individuals follow a formula that has been subtly or not so subtly taught to them by their schools, their company, their parents, or society. That is: If you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you’ll be happy. This pattern of belief explains what most often motivates us in life. We think: If I just get that raise, or hit that next sales target, I’ll be happy. If I lose that five pounds, I’ll be happy. And so on. Success first, happiness second.

By Rajeev Peshawaria

By Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer with William Bole Conversations are building blocks of innovation, ways to move an idea from origination to application. But they often stall at the starting gate or become unproductive. To create successful conversation, make sure you’re sending the right signals to your conversation partners, letting them know you’re interested in a real exchange of ideas. Recent studies of how doctors talk to patients (often ineptly) are instructive.

By Travis Bradberry, Ph.D. Conflict is a normal part of two people with different needs, interests, and motivations coming together. It’s how conflict is handled that determines the quality and ultimate success of a relationship. Researchers at the University of Washington (the same researchers who can predict the future success of a relationship with 93 percent accuracy) have discovered that successful relationships address conflict using a single technique-one so effective at addressing conflict that it’s called a repair. Repair

Grant Thornton LLP describes “distinctive client service” as its calling card. Yet with 4,200 accounting professionals in six service lines supporting diverse industries, delivering consistent client service was challenging. In response, Grant Thornton created the Client Service Cycle (CSC), a well-defined, repeatable, six-step process for developing relationships and delivering value. Here is how the firm put this program together, including the results it generated:

By Kristen Coulter, Director of Communication, JP Horizons Business leaders often attend a professional development seminar, write down some notes in a binder, put it on a shelf when they return to the office, and get back to the daily grind. It’s a situation that costs companies money without producing many results.

By Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt There are plenty of instances in life when proper protocol entails obeying the rules. However, there are many othertimes when you need to give yourself the green light to proceed. Being bold and resolute takes practice. The best way to add assertiveness to your repertoire is by looking for opportunities to flex your muscles. Here are some hints to help you proceed until apprehended:

By Darnell Lattal, Ph.D., CEO and President, Aubrey Daniels International (ADI) Penn State’s story of bad decisions and bad behavior sparked a national debate about personal moral conduct and the school’s perceived institutional failure to do the right thing. There were tremendous failures of judgment, of action, and of inaction. Since none of us are immune from acting unethically, what can we do to ensure our workplaces are not caught in our own failures of judgment, of action, and of inaction?

By Ernest Gundling, Ph.D., Aperian Global

By Randall Hatcher During the early days of temporary staffing in the 1960s and ’70s, most companies turned to this option on a short-term, project, or seasonal basis only. As they started to increase their number of temporary workers, the enormous cost savings caught the attention of the number crunchers. Before long, some “temporary” jobs were lasting two, three, or five years, and others would end only if the business folded.