RWL Newsletter #40
Greetings from the University of New Hampshire! We have had some glorious weather this week - in fact it was so nice on Monday that I launched my kayak for a first run down the Oyster River this season. I just love being out on the water in my kayak. It is a wonderful blend of mental peace and physicality.
No real theme to this week's tidbits, but I think I found some good stuff for you. Shoot me a note if you like what you see! I really appreciate the feedback about what you like. It's great to hear from you, and it keeps me looking for things that I think you will find valuable.
So without further ado...
Read
What: from SHRM, Move Over, Millennials; Generation Z Is Here, by By David Stillman and Jonah Stillman
https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/Pages/Move-over-Millennials-Generation-Z-Is-Here.aspx
Why: I didn't realize that the group of students I am teaching now are not technically Millennials. Now we have a new generation to call lazy and shiftless. You might be Gen Z if you were born between 1995-2010. According to the young Gen Z scholars, they are more hard nosed than their Millenial counterparts, shaped by tough love Gen X parents, and "With Gen Z coming of age during the recession, they are putting money and job security at the top of the list. Sure, they want to make a difference, but surviving and thriving are more important." An interesting read.
Watch
What: Fred Kofman, PhD, Managing Difficult Conversations
https://leanin.org/education/managing-difficult-conversations/
Why: Erin and Kyle did a nice job last week presenting on difficult conversations in our organizational behavior course. I thought this short video had some good tips and techniques for practicing communication when the stakes are high. As the text notes, the principles are "simple but not easy." It's worth a few minutes watch.
Listen
What: The Art of Manliness podcast, The Road to Character with David Brooks
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2017/04/04/podcast-292-road-character/
Why: I stumbled across this podcast with its tongue-in-cheek name, and I've been enjoying its eclecticism. I was pleasantly surprised to find this episode where David Brooks, the author of The Road to Character, is interviewed. Colleen and David did a nice job talking about character earlier in this semester, and Colleen in particular was taken with Brooks' book. This is a good summary of the concepts in the book, as well as some of the vignettes Brooks uses. Having spent most of my adult life in the military, I was used to being around discussions of character. Coming back to the civilian community, I am consistently surprised by how little that topic is a matter of discussion. I suppose when you live inside of an institution that can demand you lay your life on the line, these discussions are a necessary preparation. Regardless, not to sound too much like an old curmudgeon, I think modern American discourse is lacking in discussions of character, self-reliance, and self-sacrifice. Brooks' book (which I recommend) is a good inoculation.
That's it for this week!
If you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/markbonica
I'd love to hear what you think of these suggestions, and I'd love to get suggestions from you. Feel free to drop me a line by e-mail, or you can tweet to me at @bonicatalent .
Thanks for reading and see you next week!
Mark
Mark J. Bonica, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-0598
mark.bonica@unh.edu
Health Leader Forge Podcast: http://healthleaderforge.org
Twitter: @bonicatalent
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau