NOTE: A Big Box Bonus Bundle could have your name on it. Check the end of this message for details.
REFLECTION: Have you ever wondered if tapping into the ‘why’ of what we do makes a difference? Here’s a study that suggests it does.
Researcher Adam Grant, at the University of North Carolina put the thesis to the test. He divided employees at a university fund-raising call center (charged with raising funds for student scholarships) into three groups.
Group One read stories written by previous employees about the personal benefits of the call center job in advancing their own skills and knowledge. The stories also touched on how individuals had leveraged what they’d learned to their advantage in their own careers and grad school. (The Personal Benefit Group)
Group Two read stories written by scholarship recipients about how the funding they received as a result of the campaign had given these students better access to education. The stories described how the gift had connected them to fellow scholarship students, and helped them engage in important extracurricular activities. (The Task Significance Group)
Group Three simply continued doing their job as before – no stories at all. (The Control Group)
What happened? (more…)
REFLECTION: It was a sunny clear October day, and my husband, Dave, and I (along with another 20 passengers) were enjoying a sailing adventure on the Mar, a 65 foot tall ship that plies the Halifax Harbor. About a half an hour into the trip, we made our way to the stern to check out the view from aft and chat with the crew.