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Alive at work : the neuroscience of helping your people love what they do / Daniel M. Cable.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Boston, Massachusetts : Harvard Business Review Press, [2018]Description: viii, 203 pages : illustrations ; 25 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781633694255
  • 1633694259
Subject(s):
Contents:
Part I. The seeking system: Introduction: our organizations are letting us down -- The way things ought to be -- The way things are -- and how to make them better -- Part II. Self expression: Encouraging people to bring their best selves to work -- Promoting self-expression -- Part III. Experimentation: Encouraging serious play -- Expanding on freedom and creativity -- Humble leadership and employees' seeking systems -- Part IV. Purpose: Helping employees see the impact of their work -- Creating narratives about purpose.
Summary: We've all seen the oft-cited Gallup poll that reports that an alarming majority of the workforce is disengaged and unmotivated. In Alive at Work, social psychologist Dan Cable argues that the reason for all the unhappiness is biological: organizations, in an effort to routinize work and establish clear-cut performance metrics, are suppressing what neuroscientists call our Seeking Systems, the part of our brain that craves exploration and learning. The good news is that organizations can activate our Seeking Systems, and, as Cable explains, it doesn't take extensive overhauls to their cultures to do so. With small changes, managers and supervisors can make meaningful impacts on our lives and restore our zest for work. For instance, the book reveals: how new hires exhibited their best traits and were less likely to quit in the future after sharing stories about themselves during on-boarding seminars, how Italian factory workers reduced their anxiety about a new process by playing with Legos, how employees at Make-A-Wish reduced burnout by crafting their own job titles. Filled with real-life examples from the author's own research and consulting, Alive at Work equips managers--and anyone looking to find more joy in their nine-to-five existence--with the guidance to maximize the curiosity and passion that lives within themselves and others.-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 658.314 C115 Available 33111009169489
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Poll after poll has confirmed that an astonishing number of workers are disengaged from their work. Why is this happening? And how can we fix the problem?

In this bold, enlightening book, social psychologist and professor Daniel M. Cable takes leaders into the minds of workers and reveals the surprising secret to restoring their zest for work.

Disengagement isn't a motivational problem, it's a biological one. Humans aren't built for routine and repetition. We're designed to crave exploration, experimentation, and learning--in fact, there's a part of our brains, which scientists have coined "the seeking system," that rewards us for taking part in these activities. But the way organizations are run prevents many of us from following our innate impulses. As a result, we shut down.

Things need to change. More than ever before, employee creativity and engagement are needed to win. Fortunately, it won't take an extensive overhaul of your organizational culture to get started. With small nudges, you can personally help people reach their fullest potential.

Alive at Work reveals:

How to encourage people to bring their best selves to work and use their greatest strengths to help your organization flourish How to build creative environments that motivate people to share ideas, work smarter, and embrace change How to enhance people's connection to their work and your customers How to create personalized experiences that help people feel a deeper sense of purpose

Filled with fascinating stories from the author's extensive research, Alive at Work is the inspirational guide that you need to tap into the passion, creativity, and purpose fizzing beneath the surface of every person who falls under your leadership.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 175-186) and index.

We've all seen the oft-cited Gallup poll that reports that an alarming majority of the workforce is disengaged and unmotivated. In Alive at Work, social psychologist Dan Cable argues that the reason for all the unhappiness is biological: organizations, in an effort to routinize work and establish clear-cut performance metrics, are suppressing what neuroscientists call our Seeking Systems, the part of our brain that craves exploration and learning. The good news is that organizations can activate our Seeking Systems, and, as Cable explains, it doesn't take extensive overhauls to their cultures to do so. With small changes, managers and supervisors can make meaningful impacts on our lives and restore our zest for work. For instance, the book reveals: how new hires exhibited their best traits and were less likely to quit in the future after sharing stories about themselves during on-boarding seminars, how Italian factory workers reduced their anxiety about a new process by playing with Legos, how employees at Make-A-Wish reduced burnout by crafting their own job titles. Filled with real-life examples from the author's own research and consulting, Alive at Work equips managers--and anyone looking to find more joy in their nine-to-five existence--with the guidance to maximize the curiosity and passion that lives within themselves and others.-- Provided by publisher.

Part I. The seeking system: Introduction: our organizations are letting us down -- The way things ought to be -- The way things are -- and how to make them better -- Part II. Self expression: Encouraging people to bring their best selves to work -- Promoting self-expression -- Part III. Experimentation: Encouraging serious play -- Expanding on freedom and creativity -- Humble leadership and employees' seeking systems -- Part IV. Purpose: Helping employees see the impact of their work -- Creating narratives about purpose.

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