“Bullying Destroys Trust”
Background
“Bullying Destroys Trust”

Bullying remains a persistent workplace problem, compromising people’s well-being, motivation and productivity. How do you recognize bullies, and what can you do if you witness or become a victim of bullying?

CURRENT AFFAIRS

And Related Compressed Knowledge

International Book Award 2020

Discover the Shortlist!
Since 2001, the getAbstract International Book Award has been presented annually to books that make a particularly important contribution to current economic, social and business-related topics. In this anniversary year, the prize will be awarded symbolically through a series of interviews and digital events. 

Knowledge Containers

Digital Transformation
Digital Transformation

The biggest corporate challenge of our time has less to do with technology than with the right corporate culture.

Leadership
Leadership

Find out what it means to make the right decisions and lead by example in uncertain times.

New Frontiers
New Frontiers

We live in revolutionary times – at once deeply unsettling but also filled with the potential of transforming human lives for the better. This series introduces you to ten big questions that will preoccupy public…

New Work
New Work

This series offers context and applicable reading material to help companies and individuals navigate the new normal and prepare for the future in three steps: Adapt, Transform, Reinvent.

New Column

AI for Survival of the Fittest?
AI for Survival of the Fittest?

From Charles Darwin to Elon Musk: How artificial intelligence will influence human evolution and natural selection.

Leadership

Leading for Well-Being
Leading for Well-Being

A healthy workforce is a productive workforce. From sponsoring exercise programs to creating a values-based work culture, there is a lot you can do as a leader to help your employees thrive.

FOCUS: Workplace Culture

“Hello, How Are You?”
You would be surprised how many employees know the difference between an artificial and a real smile. Even if you move the corners of your mouth remotely.
“Hello, How Are You?”

In times when the whole world is wondering how best to get through the current crisis, small things make the difference. For example, taking an honest interest in your employees.

Hard Truths

No One Is Safe
No One Is Safe

Cybercriminals are keeping pace with the major transformation steps that many companies have taken in recent months. Here is what you need to know.

In Conversation

“If a Diversity Expert Can Fail So Epically, Anyone Can.”
“If a Diversity Expert Can Fail So Epically, Anyone Can.”

Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran on subtle acts of exclusion, how to recognize them, how to avoid them and how to deal with them proactively – on both sides of a conversation.

Columns

Your Creative Recovery
Your Creative Recovery

How to get rid of that nasty little saboteur sitting on your shoulder preventing you from being truly innovative.

Deutsche Thoroughness
Deutsche Thoroughness

As a German who chose to live in the United States for a while, the first thing you miss is not the good old Schwarzbrot – it’s the art of engineering.

MAKING SENSE OF TODAY
Image of: Diversity, Inc.
Pamela Newkirk

Diversity, Inc.

Too often, companies, colleges and sports teams make diversity a buzzword – but not a reality.

Bold Type
Zusammenfassung lesen
Image of: Good Economics for Hard Times
Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo

Good Economics for Hard Times

Immigration and trade are important issues that need more than fractured politics and fact-free debates.

Public Affairs
Zusammenfassung lesen
Image of: The Laws of Human Nature
Robert Greene

The Laws of Human Nature

Study human nature to learn to predict behavior, break patterns and influence others to meet your goals.

Profile Books
Zusammenfassung lesen
Image of: Extreme Teaming
Amy C. Edmondson and Jean-François Harvey

Extreme Teaming

To resolve an extreme problem, you need an extreme team.

Emerald Publishing Limited
Zusammenfassung lesen
Image of: The Future Is Faster Than You Think
Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler

The Future Is Faster Than You Think

The world is about to experience a burst of technological innovation unlike anything in history.

Simon & Schuster
Zusammenfassung lesen
Image of: Lean vs. Agile vs. Design Thinking
Jeff Gothelf

Lean vs. Agile vs. Design Thinking

Agile? Lean? Design Thinking? How do you choose among competing approaches to product development?

Sense & Respond Press
Zusammenfassung lesen
IN CONVERSATION
“Passivity Is Depressing, Activity Is Energizing.”
“Passivity Is Depressing, Activity Is Energizing.”

The doyenne of leadership experts, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, on the importance of advanced leadership in times of crisis, more diversity at the executive level, and the need to reinvent institutions.

“The Focus is ‘Enough’ Rather Than ‘More’”
“The Focus is ‘Enough’ Rather Than ‘More’”

The mainstream economics notion that unfettered growth accompanied by greater consumption and productivity benefits society is false, argues Rob Dietz, Program Director at the Post Carbon Institute. In an interview with getAbstract, he shares his vision of a new economic way forward.

“If a Diversity Expert Can Fail So Epically, Anyone Can.”
“If a Diversity Expert Can Fail So Epically, Anyone Can.”

Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran on subtle acts of exclusion, how to recognize them, how to avoid them and how to deal with them proactively – on both sides of a conversation.

“It’s Up To the Users To Advocate for Change”
Brian Solis, photo by Stuart Tracte
“It’s Up To the Users To Advocate for Change”

Has COVID-19-induced physical distancing made our unhealthy relationship with technology worse? Not necessarily, argues digital anthropologist and author Brian Solis. But the time has come for consumers to start demanding for technology that will help us make more of ourselves.

“That Normal Does Not Exist Anymore.”
“That Normal Does Not Exist Anymore.”

As the world strategizes on what the “New Normal” should look like, Vlatka Hlupic argues that humane, social-minded companies will survive in the post-pandemic world. How can we become part of a company that is a force for good?

“Education Ministries Across Latin America Have Been Quite Creative.”
Lima city at lockdown on coronavirus pandemic in 2020 / Photo: Christian Vinces / getty
“Education Ministries Across Latin America Have Been Quite Creative.”

Learning loss, especially among the world’s poor, is a major concern following months of school lockdowns. Yet new teaching tools and digital initiatives rolled out during the pandemic could benefit the cause of improving literacy in the long term.

“Lack of Competition Generates Hubris…”
“Lack of Competition Generates Hubris…”

…and unfortunately, this also applies to the economic system the world largely adopted and is now relying on: capitalism. The world’s leading inequality scholar, Branko Milanović talks about global income disparities, resurgent ideologies and the most promising strategies for dealing with both.

“We Lead the World in Science, and We Also Lead the World in Opposition to Science”
Jared Diamond, American historian and anthropologist, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and UCLA professor, playing piano in the living room of his home in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles; photo by Damon Casarez /Redux/laif
“We Lead the World in Science, and We Also Lead the World in Opposition to Science”

Jared Diamond, world-famous historian of societal crises and collapses, currently lives in self-imposed quarantine in California. When he’s not writing papers on the birds of New Guinea or playing Beethoven sonatas on the piano, he is concerned about the effect the current pandemic will have on his country and the world. What gives him hope?

“Our Level of Knowledge About China Is Not Sufficient”
“Our Level of Knowledge About China Is Not Sufficient”

China is systematically trying to expand its influence in the world. China expert Mareike Ohlberg – co-author of Hidden Hand – Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party Is Reshaping the World – speaks of infiltration. In this interview, she explains the methods Beijing is using and why the West must react.

“When You Talk to People About Fairness, the Conversation Immediately Becomes Political”
Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth
“When You Talk to People About Fairness, the Conversation Immediately Becomes Political”

Computer scientists Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth research how computer programs can affect our lives. Even when written without malice, algorithms have the potential to treat people unfairly or violate their privacy. How do you get algorithms to be decent?

“People Who Don’t Feel Respected Will Not Want to Show Up Every Day and Contribute to Your Organization.”
“People Who Don’t Feel Respected Will Not Want to Show Up Every Day and Contribute to Your Organization.”

A millennial herself, Crystal Kadakia provides globally relevant insight into her generation in her book, The Millennial Myth. Here, she shares some of her thoughts on how to attract millennial talent.

The World Post-Pandemic? It’s Not Going To Be What You Expect.
Paolo Gallo
The World Post-Pandemic? It’s Not Going To Be What You Expect.

The “New Normal” has turned into the buzzword du jour. But is the world really going to settle into a new routine following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic? Author and executive coach Paolo Gallo doesn’t think so.

REVIEWS

Our Independent Book Critiques

A Towering Figure
Zachary D. Carter: The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes. Random House, 2020.
A Towering Figure

HuffPost reporter Zachary D. Carter’s biography of John Maynard Keynes eschews the theoretical to recount a human journey of intense emotion and moral combat.

A Little Help from the Big State
Daniel Susskind: A World Without Work. Metropolitan Books, 2020.
A Little Help from the Big State

Recognizing that the Age of Labor is ending, Oxford economist Daniel Susskind argues for the Big State to help create a universal income to free people from work.

How to Play the World
Maria Konnikova: The Biggest Bluff. Penguin Press, 2020.
How to Play the World

New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova explores herself by learning to play No Limit Texas Hold ’Em.

A Timeless Guide to Communicating
Robert Bolton: People Skills. How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts. Touchstone, 1986.
A Timeless Guide to Communicating

Robert Bolton’s straightforward, workable program to improve your communication skills dates from 1986 – but it’s both timeless and timely.

How to Talk About Sensitive Topics
Anatasia S. Kim and Alicia del Prado: It’s Time to Talk (and Listen). New Harbinger, 2019.
How to Talk About Sensitive Topics

Two psychologists offer a timely conversational model to help you engage in constructive conversations.

An Insider’s Managerial Manual
Julie Zhuo: The Making of a Manager. Portfolio, 2019.
An Insider’s Managerial Manual

A Facebook design executive refers to her journey from working at a small tech startup to managing hundreds of employees.

More...
OUR GETTOGETHER SERIES

Learn how to communicate more effectively, and improve your work, family and social relationships. 

In this getTogether series, you'll hear from executives, entrepreneurs and educators navigating – and often shaping – the future of work.

The monthly series that answers the most frequently asked questions of our corporate clients all around the world.

How to Break the Hold of Implicit Bias
In this episode, together with Barbara Adams, the founder and chief learning officer at GAR (Gender, Age and Race) Diversity Consulting in San Francisco, we’ll examine how we can keep context in mind in difficult interpersonal conversations and the way our own biases can blind us to obvious truths.

Prep Reading

Image of: Women, Minorities, & Other Extraordinary People
Barbara B. Adams PsyD

Women, Minorities, & Other Extraordinary People

After 50 years of diversity efforts, US workplaces remain largely inhospitable to women and minorities.

Greenleaf Book Group
Zusammenfassung lesen
More...

SPECIAL: NEW FRONTIERS

What Shapes the Future? Our Knowledge Collection on the Challenges of Tomorrow.

BEYOND CAPITALISM
Global capitalism has raised millions out of poverty. Yet it has also created growing inequalities between the rich and the poor, and put the environment under pressure. Is Capitalism at a breaking point? And if yes: What might replace it?

Beyond Capitalism

FROM CONSUMERISM TO SUSTAINABILITY
Resource depletion, mounting waste and climate change – more and more people are coming to realize that unfettered consumerism is neither sustainable nor a pathway to joy and meaning in life. From de-cluttering closets to imagining alternative models of running an economy, there is a wealth of interesting ideas out there on how to modify our unsustainable consumerist habits.

From Consumerism to Sustainability

THE NEXT SOCIETY
We are currently undergoing seismic generational shifts. As the Millennial generation is increasingly taking over, this new generation of digital natives is reshaping the world of work and values.

The Next Society

HUMANE TECHNOLOGY
Do you still remember life before the smartphone? Despite its many conveniences, the smartphone has also become a source of constant distraction. Addictive apps can have a detrimental impact on your brain. And the way you manage your attention directly impacts your quality of life.

Humane Technology
BACK TO THE OFFICE?

Our Articles on Coping with Rapid Transformation

Overview

How Pandemics Change the World
How Pandemics Change the World

The COVID-19 outbreak will not only have a direct impact on our lives and economies now – the consequences will continue to preoccupy us for several years, if not decades.

Your “Back to the Office” Guide
Your “Back to the Office” Guide

Here’s how to get back on track after a business interruption.

April, 15 2020 by Michael Wiederstein
“What Is the Secret of Remote Working?”
Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash
“What Is the Secret of Remote Working?”

The coronavirus pandemic is currently forcing many companies to advise employees to work from home. Here are four steps to help make this organizational crisis a success.

March, 16 2020 by Patrick Brigger

Working from Home

...with Kids.

Exploring the Wonderland of Child-Led Learning
Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash
Exploring the Wonderland of Child-Led Learning

The many hours of lockdown-induced downtime offer an opportunity for your children to let their natural curiosity take them places they may otherwise not have discovered.

May, 1 2020 by Sara Küpfer
“Turn That Damn Thing Off!”
Photo: Ivan Samkov on Pexels
“Turn That Damn Thing Off!”

With comprehensive home office, team chat solutions have led your colleagues straight into your living room – sometimes even worse. How do you put them outside the door again and get the necessary recreation time?

July, 10 2020 by Michael Wiederstein

Q&As

How to...?

To Say the Unsayable
To Say the Unsayable

When something terrible happens, terrible communication should be avoided. This is how.

April, 9 2020 by Michael Wiederstein
“Performance Reviews: How Do I Give the Right Feedback in the Current Exceptional Situation?”
Performance reviews: Make a directional decision - or at least cause one. There are in fact more than only two ways to proceed. / Photo: Jon Tyson at Unsplash
“Performance Reviews: How Do I Give the Right Feedback in the Current Exceptional Situation?”

You have three options.

May, 5 2020 by getAbstract
“How Do I Hire (and Onboard) People Without Meeting Them in Person?”
“How Do I Hire (and Onboard) People Without Meeting Them in Person?”

A world with fewer office jobs is not a world with fewer jobs.

June, 26 2020 by Michael Wiederstein

Q&As

Coping

Of Viruses, Vulnerability and Superheroes
Of Viruses, Vulnerability and Superheroes

Isolation highlights the need to reach out.

April, 27 2020 by Sara Küpfer
“You’re fired!”
“You’re fired!”

How to not only cope with a layoff, but turn it into an opportunity.

May, 29 2020 by getAbstract
SPECIAL: CLASSIC ADVICE

The Greatest Books of All Time (And Their Collected Knowledge for Everyday Life)

Glitz, Glamor and a Very Sad Man
Glitz, Glamor and a Very Sad Man

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby Or: How Not to Be Murdered by Your Mistress’s Husband’s Mistress’s Husband.

Sleeping with the Fishes
Sleeping with the Fishes

Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Or: How to Escape a Madman Offshore

Denmark Ranked Least Happy Country (in 1603)
Denmark Ranked Least Happy Country (in 1603)

William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet Or: Why Revenging Your Dead Father Could Damage Your Health

OUR ONLINE READING CLUB

Recent getTogether Sessions

In our Online Reading Club we offer weekly video conversations with experts and book authors. Get firsthand information on the topics of the hour and up-to-date reading recommendations from getAbstract's library of over 20,000 summaries. 

Change / Working From Home With Kids

Gut Feelings

The New Normal

How You Tick

Smart Cities

Creative Confidence