Business
Will Governments Restrict Foreign Access to Pandemic Supplies? (via Harvard Business Review)
In times of crisis — the article cites the Great Depression as an analogy — governments become self-interested, which can worsen the problem.
Career
How to Make the Most of the Job You Already Have (via Harvard Business Review)
- Volunteer for new workplace assignments
- Offer to assist your colleagues
- Take time to appreciate others meaningfully
- Take classes to improve/expand your skills
- Introduce yourself to new colleagues and get involved in social activities
- Renovate your workplace
- Take time off to recharge
- Take on a new hobby or activity
Our book club discussed systems thinking and fundamentals of product management.
Why You Should Become an “Intrapreneur” (via Harvard Business Review)
- Most companies — especially large ones — have plenty of creative ideas that never get executed
- Getting involved with things outside of your formal role can help you stay engaged and will benefit the company
- Focus on selling, be more proactive
- Engage in prosocial and altruistic behaviors at work
Communication
Adjusting to Remote Work During the Coronavirus Crisis (via Harvard Business Review)
- Remote work is a skill
- Managers should look for people withdrawing
- Create routines
- Realize this is more than just a shift to remote work; our society is undergoing a crisis at the same time
- Start meetings with a check-in, and use video
Avoid These Traps When Negotiating in a Crisis (via Harvard Business Review)
“The author identifies two negotiation traps to avoid: 1) focusing on immediate needs at the expense of the long term, and 2) starting from a mindset of wanting to avoid the worst alternatives, and offer solutions for each.”
Virtual Offsites That Work (via Harvard Business Review)
This post is packed with tips and tricks for running a smooth offsite meeting that happens to be virtual. Many of these suggestions are useful even for in-person offsites.
Culture
How Common Is Unethical Behavior in U.S. Organizations? (via Harvard Business Review)
About 1 in 4 workers have experienced some form of unethical behavior. To address this, 1) companies should invest in cultivating emotional intelligence in leaders, 2) leaders should communicate their ethical standards/values, 3) managers should pay attention to the emotions of others, 4) companies should consider a broad range of problems, not just major violations.
How Bad Times Bring Out the Best in People (via Harvard Business Review)
This article mentioned how Hancock Bank gave out cash to people after Hurricane Katrina and came out better for it. “Practical, useful acts of kindness are good for humanity, and good for business. Acts of kindness are also good for the people who do them — and the more tangible the act, the better.”
What’s Really Holding Women Back (via Harvard Business Review)
A law firm was reviewed to see what kinds of behavior were keeping women from being promoted. The short answer is not about gender, but about working long hours.
- “…the crushing culture of overwork at the firm. … And the way to start would be to stop overselling and overdelivering.”
- I found it amusing that the authors showed management where the problem was (long hours), and the firm dismissed the data and kept on going with the status quo.
- For men: their identity is that of an ideal worker, fully committed and fully available
- For women: their commitment is to family, so inherently work comes second
Leadership
8 Ways to Manage Your Team While Social Distancing (via Harvard Business Review)
- Reset your expectations of how work gets done
- Stay in regular touch
- Support continued learning but keep it short
- Assign buddies and peer coaches to add a layer of mutual support
- Interpret tone and voice as proxies for face-to-face feedback
- Model optimism and drain the team of fear
- Update even if there’s no update
- Continually gauge stress and engagement levels
A Time to Lead with Purpose and Humanity (via Harvard Business Review)
The former CEO of Best Buy recaps some leadership examples where companies are putting people over profit and avoiding doing long-term harm by laying people off.
Are You Leading Through the Crisis … or Managing the Response? (via Harvard Business Review)
“The authors identify four traps that most leaders fall into: 1) taking a narrow view; 2) getting seduced by managing; 3) over-centralizing the response; and 4) forgetting the human factor.”
The Contagion We Can Control (via Harvard Business Review)
- Negative emotions can be “viral” as well
- Get your information from trusted sources
- Practice good emotional hygiene (exercise, volunteer, express gratitude, share feelings of hope)
Psychology
That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief (via Harvard Business Review)
- We’re grieving the loss of control, certainty, and safety.
- Not all stages are linear and happen in the same order. The acceptance part is the most important, as it highlights what you can control (e.g., I can wash my hands.)
- When you feel your thoughts racing, find ways to focus on the present (e.g., name five objects in your room).
- Let go of what you can’t control (e.g., you can’t control whether your neighbor washed his hands, but you can stay 6 feet from him).
- Stock up on compassion by realizing other people are grieving as well and may not be acting as they normally would.
Coping with Fatigue, Fear, and Panic During a Crisis (via Harvard Business Review)
- Be mindful of your emotional state
- Breathe in for three seconds, exhale for six seconds (helps with cortisol management)
- Perform a short burst of rigorous exercise