Curious Minds at Work

It’s easy to feel optimistic when things are going well. But what happens when we’re faced with setbacks or uncertainty? How do we effectively manage our mindset and our behavior?

That’s where resilient optimism can help. Michelle Gielan is a positive psychology researcher and author of the new book, Resilient Optimism: The Science of Sustaining a Positive Mindset in Tough Times.

Her research gives us practical ways to navigate challenges more effectively, while also revealing something especially important for leaders, that is, our mindset doesn’t stop with us. How we respond, communicate, and behave can shape the resilience and optimism of the people and teams we lead.  

Resource Links

How Leaders Counter Pessimism in Trying Times

The Smallest Part of the Meeting is Running the Meeting

Can Optimism Be Learned? A Positive Psychologist Says Yes

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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Remote work has given us a lot. More flexibility. More time without a commute. More control over where and how we work. And for many of us, it can feel like we’re getting more done.

But what might we be losing when we’re no longer working alongside one another?

Natalia Emanuel has spent years studying that question. She’s an economist and co-author of the new book, In Person: How Working Together Fuels Creativity, Productivity, and Growth. Her research reveals what happens when we work apart, what changes when we’re face-to-face, and why being together can affect everything from the quality of our work and how much we learn to our creativity, relationships, and careers.

She also explains why the answer isn’t simply bringing everyone back to the office five days a week, and how leaders can make smarter decisions about when and how people work together.

Resource Links

Home Alone: Remote Work, Isolation, and Mental Health

The Power of Proximity to Coworkers

Interview with Keith Sawyer

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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We’re constantly seeking explanations for why things happened. Why did a project fail? Why did someone behave the way they did? Why did one approach work when another one didn’t?

But explanations don’t just help us understand the past. They influence what we do next. The explanation we land on can affect what we learn, how we see others, and the decisions we make. And if we anchor on the wrong explanation, we can end up solving the wrong problem.

Tania Lombrozo studies how this works. She’s a professor of psychology at Princeton University and author of the new book, Why We Ask Why: The Science of Explanation and the Human Drive to Understand. Her research helps us understand why we’re so driven to seek explanations, how they shape the way we think and act, and how we can get better at using them in our work and lives.

Before we start, one quick ask. If you like the podcast, please take a moment to leave a rating on iTunes or wherever you subscribe. Your feedback sends a strong signal to people looking for their next podcast. And if you’re wondering what I’m curious about this week, be sure to listen to the end of the episode.

Resource Links

The Secret to Efficient Learning

Interview with Steven Sloman author of The Knowledge Illusion

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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We’ve all had moments when we’re not sure whether to say something. A friend is making a mistake. A colleague seems upset. We have something personal we want to share. Do we speak up? Stay quiet? And how do we know which choice is the right one?

Social psychologist Vanessa Bohns studies what happens in these moments. She’s a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University and author of the new book, Should I Say Something? The Science of What to Share and What to Keep to Yourself. Her research reveals why we often misjudge how other people will respond and how those assumptions can lead us to share too much, say too little, or avoid conversations altogether.

Vanessa helps us think differently about what it means to be honest, vulnerable, and open with other people. She also shares research we can use to make better decisions about when to say something and when it may be better to hold back.

Resource Links

3 Ways to Make a Request That Doesn’t Feel Coercive

Do New Hires Really Understand Your Policies

Interview with Alison Wood Brooks, Episode 284

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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When it comes to enhancing mental performance, we’re all looking for an edge. And while a healthy diet, regular exercise, and ample rest support healthy brain function, they can only get us so far.

What really matters when it comes to improving our focus, regulating our emotions, or planning for our future, is taking a moment to think before we think. And to do that, we need to understand how our brains do these things, and what they need to do them well.

Adrian Owen is a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario. He’s spent his career studying how we’re able to do the amazing things associated with our brain’s executive function, things he shares in his latest book, Think Before You Think: Understanding and Mastering Executive Function. This was a fascinating conversation.

Episode Links

Why Everyone Should Be Thinking More about Thinking

Episode 191 with Lisa Feldman Barrett

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

Support the Podcast

If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe and tell a friend or family member about the show.

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