Most Recent Articles
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Culturally Intelligent Innovation: Diversity CQ = Better Solutions
By David Livermore
"Everyone seems to be talking about diversity these days. Tech companies have pulled back the curtain to reveal how white and male they are. Indian firms are scrambling to appoint female board members in order to abide by new laws. European and North American multinationals are hiring executives from emerging markets. And even Hollywood is admitting that you're more likely to see an alien on screen than an Asian or Latina female. Diversity has moved from a nice-to-have to a must-have. And innovation is one of the benefits most consistently lauded to sell people on diversity. It sounds promising. Rather than approaching a problem from one perspective, you gain the opportunity to see things more broadly. The problem is, diversity rarely works out that way. [. . . ] Diversity is undoubtedly one of the best sources of innovation. But it's not automatic. Diversity by itself does not lead to better solutions. Cultural intelligence, or CQ, is the differentiating factor. CQ is a research-based way of measuring and improving effectiveness for working across cultures.
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Kill Your Darlings: How High Performers Achieve Extraordinary Growth
By Al Pittampalli
"Unfortunately, human beings are driven to maintain a favorable self-concept more than they are an accurate one. We have the tendency to see ourselves as exceedingly moral, attractive, smart, funny, athletic etc., and we don't want to disturb that vision. For many of us, ignorance is bliss. But not all of us. ... many of the world's top performers prioritize an accurate self-concept over a favorable one. They strive to treat beliefs that they don't like in the same way they treat beliefs that they do. They want to know when 'all is not well' because, then, they can do something about it. But these high performers are not only receptive to information that might threaten their favored beliefs, they go out of their way to seek it out themselves. In doing so, they kill their darlings."
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Ignite Change: How Empathetic Communication Helps You Illuminate a Path that People Will Want to Follow
By Nancy Duarte, Patti Sanchez
"Change is inevitable. Whether we're talking about business, society, politics, or life, we all know that trying to stay still is a recipe for stagnation. Since Duarte, Inc. , was founded twenty-five years ago as a small design firm in Silicon Valley, the company has undergone numerous transformations. But none has been more challenging than the internal reinvention we began three years ago. As we worked to motivate our employees and align our organization around a new vision for our collective future, we were simultaneously studying how other leaders—in business and society, at companies large and small and different as Apple and Starbucks, IBM, and Market Basket—have successfully helped others embrace change and sparked movements. This is our manifesto for change communications and, more specifically, for leaders who want to inspire others to understand and follow their vision for change, over and over again. It's a tricky road to navigate. Most people are more comfortable with what they know than with the unknown future.
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / ChangeThis
Make People Love Your Brand Instantly: The Powerful Attraction of Love-At-First-Sight Names
By Alexandra Watkins
"Most ... fear that if their name is unconventional, they won't be taken seriously. Listen scaredy cats, you need to let go of that old school way of thinking. Why should you believe me? I run a B2B firm with a playful name, Eat My Words. For more than a decade, our name has been a magnet for attracting clients, employees, and reporters. A clever business name is your welcome mat. It suggests, 'We're lots of fun and you're going to love working with us!'"
Categories: changethis
-
Blog / Staff Picks
How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life
Book Review by Ryan Schleicher
Caroline Webb shows readers how to use recent discoveries in behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience to transform our every day.
Categories: staff-picks
-
Blog / Book Giveaways
Indentured: The Inside Story of the Rebellion Against the NCAA
By Porchlight
Joe Nocera and Ben Strauss make a compelling case for changing the way the big business of college athletics is done.
Categories: giveaways
-
Blog / Staff Picks
The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America
Book Review by Porchlight
In her new book, Ann Neumann looks squarely at the issues surrounding death and dying in America.
Categories: staff-picks
-
Blog / Editor's Choice
Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
Book Review by Dylan Schleicher
Adam Grant gives us a new way to talk about change, and the personal and organizational knowledge to bring it about.
Categories: editors-choice
-
Blog / Staff Picks
This is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon
Book Review by Sally Haldorson
Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers have written a speedy compendium of sports stories and human behavioral tendencies that serves up social science insight with agility and good humor.
Categories: staff-picks
-
Blog / New Releases
Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works
By Dylan Schleicher
Jay Newton-Small presents an unprecedented examination into how women are changing the political, economic and social landscapes.
Categories: new-releases
