Companies Should Measure Their Levels of Workplace Bullshit

, , , ,
People’s propensity to bullshit increases when the social expectations of having an opinion are high, the audience is unknowledgeable, and the speakers expect to get away with it. Like cheating in school, bullshitting is a way for people…

How to Have Better Conversations About Ethics in Business

, , , , , ,
The first step is to make conversations about ethics in business safe, interesting, and normal. It is often difficult, many people would agree, to talk about ethics in business. But why? It’s not because people don’t know what ethics…

Robert Bilott, Author of “Exposure,” Reflects on His Fight Against Corporate Arrogance

, , , , ,
In October 1998, a Parkersburg, West Virginia, cattle farmer named Earl Tennant noticed that his livestock was dying from a strange illness. Half of his cows and their calves had mysteriously died, and the rest had been born deformed and dead.…

The Tricky Role of Loyalty at Work

, , , ,
The downsides of fostering loyalty don't mean that promoting loyalty is too dangerous. But leaders should proceed with caution. It’s fair to say that, overall, organizations can benefit from loyal employees. Loyal employees stay with their…

Let’s Make 2021 a Year for Self-Honesty

, ,
What if instead of fueling our instincts to be heroic, intensifying our dopamine-drenched feeling of being indispensable that comes from finishing that report at 2 am, we acknowledged that we have limits? 2020’s tumultuous story exhausted,…

American Unity Starts with the Truth

, , ,
We now must find the right balance between seeking meaningful accountability for past abuses and building a more inclusive democratic future. President Biden made a passionate appeal for unity in his inaugural address Wednesday, saying,…

The Obscure Medieval Roots of the Modern Psyche

,
“The cultural evolution of psychology,” Joseph Henrich writes, “is the dark matter that flows behind the scenes throughout history.” Imagine you are in the city, riding in a car with a close friend, and he hits a pedestrian going…

Do Honesty Pledges Work?

,
Honesty pledges often sound like a good idea, but whether they are in any given situation depends on various factors. Just ask Jim Comey. In a recent paper, Eyal Pe’er, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Yuval…

Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It

, , , , ,
Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It by: Donald L. McCabe, Kenneth D. Butterfield, and Linda K. Treviño John Hopkins University Press (2012) Public Library Summarized by Jared Wolf From one-room…

Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics

, , , , , , , ,

What do economics, psychology, and experimental science have in common? As Richard Thaler implies in Misbehaving: The making of behavioral economics, most economists would say little to none — but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Misbehaving is, first and foremost, a story of how modern economics, finance, and theoretical analysis have become increasingly specialized and narrow without substantial practical value. Utilizing empirical studies and anecdotes, funny stories, and even some jokes, Thaler persuades the reader that behavioral studies — or psychology-motivated disciplines which focus on humans, not mythical rational agents — are here to stay. 

Thaler’s findings have numerous and far-reaching implications for designing and implementing ethical systems within organizations. Read our book review and learn more.