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Human Capital Leadership - S15E21 - Inspiring TED Talks - The Way We Think about Work is Broken, with Barry Schwartz

S15E21 - Inspiring TED Talks - The Way We Think about Work is Broken, with Barry Schwartz

03/27/21 • 29 min

Human Capital Leadership
In this "Inspiring TED Talks" HCI podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhwestover/) explores Barry Schwartz's 2014 TED Talk, "The Way We Think about Work is Broken." Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/3B_1itqCKHo. Video Overview: "What makes work satisfying? Apart from a paycheck, there are intangible values that, Barry Schwartz suggests, our current way of thinking about work simply ignores. It's time to stop thinking of workers as cogs on a wheel." In his 2004 book The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz tackles one of the great mysteries of modern life: Why is it that societies of great abundance -- where individuals are offered more freedom and choice (personal, professional, material) than ever before -- are now witnessing a near-epidemic of depression? Conventional wisdom tells us that greater choice is for the greater good, but Schwartz argues the opposite. He makes a compelling case that the abundance of choice in today's western world is actually making us miserable. Schwartz believes that infinite choice is paralyzing and exhausting for the human psyche. It leads us to set unreasonably high expectations, question our choices before we even make them and blame our failures entirely on ourselves. His relatable examples, from consumer products (jeans, TVs, salad dressings) to lifestyle choices (where to live, what job to take, who and when to marry), underscore his central point that too much choice undermines happiness. Schwartz's previous research has addressed morality, decision-making and the varied inter-relationships between science and society. Before Paradox he published The Costs of Living, which traces the impact of free-market thinking on the explosion of consumerism -- and the effect of the new capitalism on social and cultural institutions that once operated above the market, such as medicine, sports and the law. And after Paradox, he argued for the importance of remoralizing our lives -- both public and private -- in the book Practical Wisdom, coauthored with Kenneth Sharpe. Both books level serious criticism against modern Western society, illuminating the under-reported psychological plagues of our time. But they also offer concrete ideas on addressing these problems, on a personal and societal level. Schwartz is the author of the TED Book, Why We Work, and a professor of social theory at Swarthmore College. Check out Dr. Westover's new book, The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/leadershipalchemy. Check out the latest issue of the Human Capital Leadership magazine, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/hci-magazine. Ranked in the Top 10 Performance Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/performance_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 10 Workplace Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/workplace_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 HR Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/hr_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Talent Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/talent_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Personal Development and Self-Improvement Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 30 Leadership Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/leadership_podcasts/
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In this "Inspiring TED Talks" HCI podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhwestover/) explores Barry Schwartz's 2014 TED Talk, "The Way We Think about Work is Broken." Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/3B_1itqCKHo. Video Overview: "What makes work satisfying? Apart from a paycheck, there are intangible values that, Barry Schwartz suggests, our current way of thinking about work simply ignores. It's time to stop thinking of workers as cogs on a wheel." In his 2004 book The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz tackles one of the great mysteries of modern life: Why is it that societies of great abundance -- where individuals are offered more freedom and choice (personal, professional, material) than ever before -- are now witnessing a near-epidemic of depression? Conventional wisdom tells us that greater choice is for the greater good, but Schwartz argues the opposite. He makes a compelling case that the abundance of choice in today's western world is actually making us miserable. Schwartz believes that infinite choice is paralyzing and exhausting for the human psyche. It leads us to set unreasonably high expectations, question our choices before we even make them and blame our failures entirely on ourselves. His relatable examples, from consumer products (jeans, TVs, salad dressings) to lifestyle choices (where to live, what job to take, who and when to marry), underscore his central point that too much choice undermines happiness. Schwartz's previous research has addressed morality, decision-making and the varied inter-relationships between science and society. Before Paradox he published The Costs of Living, which traces the impact of free-market thinking on the explosion of consumerism -- and the effect of the new capitalism on social and cultural institutions that once operated above the market, such as medicine, sports and the law. And after Paradox, he argued for the importance of remoralizing our lives -- both public and private -- in the book Practical Wisdom, coauthored with Kenneth Sharpe. Both books level serious criticism against modern Western society, illuminating the under-reported psychological plagues of our time. But they also offer concrete ideas on addressing these problems, on a personal and societal level. Schwartz is the author of the TED Book, Why We Work, and a professor of social theory at Swarthmore College. Check out Dr. Westover's new book, The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/leadershipalchemy. Check out the latest issue of the Human Capital Leadership magazine, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/hci-magazine. Ranked in the Top 10 Performance Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/performance_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 10 Workplace Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/workplace_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 HR Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/hr_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Talent Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/talent_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Personal Development and Self-Improvement Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 30 Leadership Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/leadership_podcasts/

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undefined - S15E20 - Enacting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for the Future of Work

S15E20 - Enacting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for the Future of Work

In this HCI Podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhwestover/) shares his recent HRCI Alchemizing HR Webinar, titled, "Enacting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for the Future of Work." See the video here: https://vimeo.com/529011809/759f58b0ba#. Check out Dr. Westover's new book, The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/leadershipalchemy. Check out the latest issue of the Human Capital Leadership magazine, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/hci-magazine. Ranked in the Top 10 Performance Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/performance_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 10 Workplace Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/workplace_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 HR Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/hr_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Talent Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/talent_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Personal Development and Self-Improvement Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 30 Leadership Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/leadership_podcasts/

Next Episode

undefined - S15E22 - HBR Minute - How to Get Through the Workday When the News is Terrible, Dr. Angela Neal-Barn

S15E22 - HBR Minute - How to Get Through the Workday When the News is Terrible, Dr. Angela Neal-Barn

In this "HBR Minute" HCI Podcast Episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhwestover/) explores the recent HBR video, "How to Get Through the Workday When the News is Terrible." Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett is a national award-winning psychologist, professor, and leading expert on anxiety disorders among African Americans. The first Black woman to be tenured and promoted to the rank of professor in the Kent State University Department of Psychological Sciences, she directs the Program for Research on Anxiety Disorders among African Americans. Dr. Barnett's work focuses on helping Black women and girls overcome anxiety and fear. She is the recipient of numerous federal, state and foundation including grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Women's Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation, and Ohio Commission on Minority Health Dr. Neal-Barnett is the architect and developer of the Build You Own Theme Song App© and the author of Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman's Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic and Fear (Fireside/Simon and Schuster). An international workshop presenter and speaker, her work has been featured on CNN, NPR, Fox, BET, and the Tom Joyner Morning Show as well is in Health magazine, Working Mother, Essence, Ebony, and the New York Times. For more information, connect with her on twitter or log onto her website. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/ju2LMtW7kC4. Video Overview: "2020 was a rough year. And the start of 2021 doesn't feel like it's getting any easier. So how do you stay focused at work? We talked to Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett, a professor at Kent University and the director of the Program for Research on Anxiety Disorders Among African Americans (PRADAA). She shared her advice on how we can stay focused at work when the news is painful to watch and being recirculated all around us. She also shared her thoughts on how events, like what happened in Washington, D.C. in January of this year, can affect the Black and brown communities, and what we can do about it. Here are some ways to help you stay focused: When you leave work, you have to leave work. Close the door, put away your laptop, and truly log-off. You have to create that balance. Manage the time you’re spending with technology, and if at all possible, unplug. Remember that people cannot read your mind. If your coworkers are distracting you, politely tell them you are busy and will catch up with them later." Check out Dr. Westover's new book, The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/leadershipalchemy. Check out the latest issue of the Human Capital Leadership magazine, here: https://www.innovativehumancapital.com/hci-magazine. Ranked in the Top 10 Performance Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/performance_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 10 Workplace Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/workplace_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 HR Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/hr_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Talent Management Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/talent_management_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 15 Personal Development and Self-Improvement Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/ ; Ranked in the Top 30 Leadership Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/leadership_podcasts/

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