Take control of your life, business, and career once and for all. The Indigo Podcast offers raw, unfiltered, and science-based talk about flourishing in life. Join CEOs, executives, and regular folks in learning how to build a better future at work and beyond. Check out this top ranked podcast! For more information, visit www.indigotogether.com. Our approach is evidence based and our conversation is quirky. In every episode, we: 1. Promote the flourishing of people and organizations. 2. Bridge the gap between social science and management practice. 3. Provide an antidote or counterpoint to the ever-increasing overly simplistic, reductionist approaches to work and life. 4. Feed the curiosity of people who want to make the world a better place through work. 5. Inspire listeners to become lifelong learners and bold difference-makers.
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Listeners of The Indigo Podcast that love the show mention: ben and chris, chris and ben,The Indigo Podcast is an absolute must-listen for anyone seeking valuable knowledge and actionable advice in both business and life. Hosted by Ben and Chris, this podcast excels at interviewing key guests and extracting the most valuable insights they have to offer. The quality of the guests is exceptional, with interviews such as those with Kate Ball and Steven Rogelberg standing out as particularly enjoyable and informative. The conversations are engaging and well-prepared, striking a perfect balance between organic discussion and structured content. Additionally, the podcast is fun and entertaining, with memorable phrases like "jackwagon" and Chris's infectious laugh adding to the enjoyment factor. Overall, The Indigo Podcast consistently delivers inspiration, laughs, and practical advice that keeps listeners coming back for more.
One of the best aspects of The Indigo Podcast is undoubtedly its high-quality guests. Ben and Chris excel at choosing interviewees who have valuable insights to share, making each episode incredibly relevant and informative. Whether it's experts in HR like Kate Ball or researchers like Steven Rogelberg, the guests bring a depth of knowledge that elevates the podcast's content. These interviews provide great opportunities for listeners to learn from industry leaders and apply their expertise in their own lives or professional roles.
Another standout aspect of The Indigo Podcast is the quality of the conversations. While it's evident that Ben and Chris thoroughly research each topic before recording, their discussions feel authentic and genuine. This organic approach makes the podcast engaging and relatable while still benefiting from careful planning behind the scenes. It's clear that thought goes into every episode's content layout without sacrificing the natural flow of conversation.
Additionally, The Indigo Podcast is just plain fun to listen to. From incorporating new vocabulary words like "jackwagon" or "numbskull" into everyday language to Chris's infectious laughter, there are plenty of moments that bring a smile to your face throughout each episode. This combination of education and entertainment makes the podcast enjoyable to listen to, as it both informs and entertains.
In terms of drawbacks, it's challenging to find any significant negatives about The Indigo Podcast. However, one potential improvement could be exploring a wider range of topics beyond just business and professional development. While the current focus is highly valuable for many listeners, expanding into other areas of personal growth or even delving deeper into specific industries could add further depth and variety to the podcast's content.
In conclusion, The Indigo Podcast is an exceptional resource for individuals seeking valuable insights and practical advice on business and life. From the quality of its guests to the engaging conversations and fun atmosphere, this podcast consistently delivers inspiration, laughs, and actionable wisdom. Whether you're a professional looking to grow in your career or simply someone interested in self-improvement, The Indigo Podcast is undoubtedly worth adding to your playlist.
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/ All episodes plus MUCH more: Elevating What Works Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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/ All episodes plus MUCH more - Elevating What Works Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter 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/
What does it really take to be an effective senior leader? Beyond just getting promoted, what is it about people at higher levels that helps them genuinely succeed in those roles? In this episode, we explore: What skills people need to lead at different levels Paths toward gaining those skills, for both high-potential professionals and people currently in leadership roles Implications for people who want to lead at high levels, for those leaders themselves, and for organizations Links and Other Information All episodes plus MUCH more: Elevating What Works on Substack Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Day, D. V., Riggio, R. E., Tan, S. J., & Conger, J. A. (2021). Advancing the science of 21st-century leadership development: Theory, research, and practice. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(5), 101557. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104898432100062X? Kragt, D., & Day, D. V. (2020). Predicting leadership competency development and promotion among high-potential executives: The role of leader identity. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1816. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01816/full Miscenko, D., Guenter, H., & Day, D. V. (2017). Am I a leader? Examining leader identity development over time. The Leadership Quarterly, 28(5), 605-620. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984317300437? Mumford, T. V., Campion, M. A., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). The leadership skills strataplex: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels. The leadership quarterly, 18(2), 154-166. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984307000069?
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
It's common to hear people describe their work organizations as a "family." And that description is often made as a proud statement, as if to imply that an organization should operate or feel like a family. But that's problematic, as we discuss in this episode. Specifically, we explore: Why our use of metaphors for organization matters How the way in which we talk about things can create or reinforce cultural norms Why “family” is a problematic way to think about your work organization Implications for people, leaders, and organizations Links and other information Örtenblad, A., Putnam, L. L., & Trehan, K. (2016). Beyond Morgan's eight metaphors: Adding to and developing organization theory. Human Relations, 69(4), 875-889. Click here Gareth Morgan's seminal book, Images of Organization Harvard Business Review article by Joshua Luna, “The Toxic Effects of Branding Your Workplace a ‘Family'” Article by David Burkus: “Why a company is not a family — and how companies can bond with their employees instead” All episodes plus MUCH more: Elevating What Works Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Shonna Waters and Brodie Riordan recently wrote a book all about coaching called The Coaching Shift, and in it, they explain and describe coaching from an evidence-based perspective. Both Shonna and Brodie are industrial and organizational psychologists, and they teach coaching together at Georgetown University. Shonna is also an executive at BetterUp, where she works to scale human transformation, and Brodie manages her own coaching and consulting practice, Ocular, while executive coaching with The Boda Group. They joined us for a wonderful conversation about The Coaching Shift, in which we talked about what coaching is, how it works, and what it can do for people, leaders, and organizations. Links and Other Information Shonna and Brodie's book, The Coaching Shift Shonna: LinkedIn, Twitter Brodie: LinkedIn, Twitter All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
The Vincent William Baran Day of Service is named after Ben's son, who died in a tragic accident in November 2020. The mission of the Day of Service is to bring joy, passion, empathy, and love to the world through an annual day of in-person service. In this episode, Ben and Chris discuss how everyone can get involved in the 2nd Annual Vincent William Baran Day of Service, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, with additional opportunities on Sept. 23 and 25. The Vincent William Baran Day of Service will be an enduring, annual event, with the vision of it becoming one of the largest days of focused volunteer activity in the United States. For complete details and registration, visit https://www.mightyvincent.org Check out Mighty Vincent on Facebook and Instagram All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like The Indigo Podcast on Facebook Follow The Indigo Podcast on Twitter
When organizations hire managers they tend to look for experience in a similar role, or someone that might be able to take the team or organization to a higher level or a different strategic place. It's rare to come across hiring teams that select managers on a “does not drive their team crazy basis.” And there are few management issues that people complain about as much as this one: micromanagement. We discuss: What is micromanagement? Why does it occur and what happens when it does? How to deal with micromanagement from three perspectives: as a senior leader wanting to ensure it's not happening, as a leader who wants to be a good leader, as a subordinate who is being micromanaged. Links and Other Information Related episode: Bad Bosses–The Technical Expert Who Fails at Leadership Tavanti, M. (2011). Managing toxic leaders: Dysfunctional patterns in organizational leadership and how to deal with them. Human Resource Management, 2011, 127-136. Click here Alvesson, M., & Sveningsson, S. (2003). Good visions, bad micro-management and ugly ambiguity: Contradictions of (non-) leadership in a knowledge-intensive organization. Organization Studies, 24(6), 961-988. click here All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
A lot of what people know about leadership and organizations is based only on their own thoughts, observations, and maybe some pop psychology books. In our experience, much of what we hear people saying about leadership is just wrong. In this episode, we discuss: - 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 - Like us on Facebook - Follow us on Twitter
Human resources (HR) does important work and has the potential to be a powerful force for organizational capability. At the same time, HR is rife with examples of non-evidence-based thinking. Quite simply, there are some big topics–like hiring–in which many HR professionals don't know what practices are supported by research and which ones aren't. In this episode, we discuss: - 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” All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
We recently released an episode about Joe Rogan. Some people HATED it. To be fair, some people liked it too. Since releasing that episode, we've thought a great deal about what we said, and we thought it was important enough–for you, our listeners, and because of the importance of the topic itself–to revisit this conversation. In particular, we'd like to explore some of the strongest reactions we got to the episode. These included: - Why did you guys even do this episode given your focus on business and relationships and organizations? - Are you saying Rogan should be canceled? - You both must really hate anyone who listens to Joe Rogan! We hope you stay tuned–especially if you hated our first episode on Joe Rogan–and let us discuss further. Links and Other Information The Saga of Joe Rogan: podcast episode on The Daily Happy belated Valentine's Day! Check out our episode on workplace romance. All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Joe Rogan has almost 12 million subscribers on YouTube and a gigantic podcast audience. He's also at the epicenter of an evolving controversy that has to do with his content, his platform, and his exclusive deal with Spotify. In this episode, we discuss Joe Rogan and his role in the media landscape. Links and Other Information Why is Joe Rogan so Popular? Article in The Atlantic Spotify CEO Addresses Joe Rogan Controversy (CNN) All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
It's great that women are filling college courses … and at the same time, it points to a potential problem with men. Or does it? In this episode, we explore: - The decline of male college enrollment - Why we should care about this issue - Implications for parents, educators, and society Links and Other Information The Male Enrollment Crisis: article Male College Completion: article Gender Gap in High School Graduation: article Unnoticed Result of the Decline of Men in College: article All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Human resources or HR: Love it or hate it, it's the business function that deals with all of the messy “people stuff.” HR people and HR as a function have tremendous potential for making businesses work better and helping people thrive. But there's this thing, “HR theater,” that's everywhere. And that's not good. We discuss what HR theater is, why it exists, and what to do about it. Links and Other Information Rob Briner on Evidence-Based Practice: podcast episode All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
In this update, we provide an update to our prior episode on "How to Deal with Creepy Guys at Work." Kelsey Pytlik, CEO of Gild Collective, joined us to add a valuable perspective. Links and Other Information How to Deal with Creepy Guys at Work: original episode More about Kelsey Pytlik and Gild Collective All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Most of us don't want to be perceived as “creepy.” And many guys are certainly not creepy. But at the same time, guys frequently act in creepy ways at work, on the web, and in other social situations. That creepiness has a negative effect on flourishing, and so in this episode, we explore what creepiness is, what leaders and organizations might do about it, and we provide some advice for people who are directly targeted by creepy guys--as well as some advice for men in general on this topic. Links and Other Information What Makes a Person Creepy? TED article by Julia Shaw All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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! All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
No one likes to be tricked. But it still happens sometimes, and some of us have friends who are tricked all the time. What's lacking here is a better way to make decisions and not get tricked. In this episode, we discuss: - The disinformation and misinformation landscape - Common practices that trick people - Implications for people, leaders and organizations Links and Other Information The “dirty dozen” -- article from NPR on the 12 people behind most vaccine hoaxes Idea of “pre-bunking” as discussed by the BBC The Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab: website Drummond, C., & Fischhoff, B. (2017). Development and validation of the scientific reasoning scale. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 30(1), 26-38. Click here Anderson, C. A., Lepper, M. R., & Ross, L. (1980). Perseverance of social theories: The role of explanation in the persistence of discredited information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1037. Click here Controlling the spread of misinformation: article from APA Monitor One basic way to think about risk All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer of Google [X] and the author of Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World. In this episode, we had the chance to discuss artificial intelligence--or AI--with Mo, and we covered his view of how AI is rapidly evolving, the risks of AI, and ultimately how we can remain in control of our collective future through a thoughtful approach to our interactions with technology. Links and Other Information Scary Smart: Mo Gawdat's latest book, available Sept. 30, 2021 - check it out on Amazon Mo Gawdat's website and Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat Solve for Happy: Mo Gawdat's 2017 book - check it out on Amazon The “Dead-Internet Theory” - article in The Atlantic All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
If you're in the fields of HR or training and development, it's likely that you've heard some about the use of artificial intelligence and gamification in organizations. One of the top experts in this area is Richard Landers, who is a professor at the University of Minnesota. He joined us for a fascinating conversation, in which we discussed: - Why technology is cool but not magic - Gamification and artificial intelligence - Implications for leaders and organizations Links and Other Information More about Richard Landers: website All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
While not all work can be done remotely, we've learned that many types of work can be done remotely or with some types of flexible arrangements. This realization isn't going away, and leaders now need to face this challenge head on. In this episode, we discuss: - What's actually going on right now - Unpacking the leadership challenge faced by many executives and managers - Implications for people, leaders, organizations Links and Other Information Top 10 Work Trends: list Updates on the top work trend White paper on telecommuting: download Related episodes: Post-Pandemic Leadership, The Four Day Work Week All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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) All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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. All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 - All episodes of The Indigo Podcast - Like us on Facebook - Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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. All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 The Indigo Manifesto All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter
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 - All episodes of The Indigo Podcast - Like us on Facebook - Follow us on Twitter