RWL Newsletter #81
Greetings from rainy, blah blah Durham! Someday the sun will shine again and the humidity will go away. We're in count down mode - 30 days till the students come back! I should probably start working on my classes. I hope you have been able to enjoy the summer wherever you are. It's been very productive for me. Lots of good research, but not enough kayaking.
I found this quote, "Every next level of your life will demand a different you" on the web, but I don't know to whom to attribute it. I liked the idea of it regardless - especially since I've been working on career research and thinking about how people navigate change. People and organizations that are successful develop the ability to change and adjust to their circumstances.
Anyway... no real theme to this week's links. Just good stuff that I hope you find interesting. Let me know what you think!
Read
What: HBR, To See the Future of Competition, Look at Netflix
https://hbr.org/2018/07/to-see-the-future-of-competition-look-at-netflix
Why: My opinion is Netflix' secret is not so much its long term strategy, which I believe has evolved, but its HR strategy. Hire the right people, they will evolve the strategy. Strategy is often constructed retrospectively (oh, yeah, that's what we were doing) as a part of corporate sense making. This article points to that idea when it says, "Strategy is culture, culture is strategy." Nevertheless, I think I have consistently underestimated this company. I've been a fan of Amazon since the late 90's, but Netflix I was skeptical of. And (I think) I was wrong. At this point, I'm not sure that they are a buy, but I don't doubt they are not accurately valued (which is kind of the same thing, if you think about it). Their strategy of making many small bets on production just let them beat out HBO for total Emmy nominations for the first time. A few useful tidbits in this piece.
Watch
What: Karen Mattison, Criticism Sticks (4 min)
https://youtu.be/2jiyamHEpQk
Why: Short video talking about how the brain blocks information that doesn't agree with our priors, and how that gate keeper can be overcome. I know I catch myself doing this all the time, especially when I am reading something I don't agree with. It's useful to be aware that we all do it.
Listen
What: The Arthur Brooks Show, Family & Friends
https://art19.com/shows/the-arthur-brooks-show/episodes/0bb7ec5d-12c1-4ed8-82f9-f2764e952982/
Why: This podcast is about incivility and getting along with people who do not share your views. The podcast is more about social acquaintances in light of the current political climate, but of course the same sort of practices of tolerance are necessary in the workplace as well.
Thanks for reading and see you next week! If you come across any interesting stories, won't you send them my way? 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 @mbonica .
Also, if you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/markbonica
Have a great weekend and do amazing things!
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
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau