The Indigo Podcast

Organizations must prepare for low-probability events like having an active shooter because the stakes are so high. In this episode, we draw upon our own military experience, guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and some of Ben's research to help people and leaders everywhere with regard to this sobering topic. In particular, we explore: - What is an active shooter and what you should do in an active-shooter situation - Roles for leaders and managers - Considerations for HR departments and the rest of the organization Links and Other Information Active Shooter - How To Respond: Guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Baran, B. E. (2016). High-reliability HR: Preparing the enterprise for catastrophes. People and Strategy, 39(1), 34-38. click here Quick Reference Guide: A Study of Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the U.S. Between 2000 and 2013 click here Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2019: click here All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

We cut through the numbskullery and unpack what resilience really means, along with an associated characteristic: hardiness. These ideas are tremendously important for all of us. Specifically, we discuss: - What resilience and hardiness are and why they matter - Individual and environmental factors that influence resilience and hardiness - Implications for people, leaders, and organizations Links and Other Information The Navy Leader Development Framework 3.0: click here Building Your Resilience: APA article More about resilience from Psychology Today How People Learn to Become Resilient: article in the New Yorker Bartone, P. T. (1999). Hardiness protects against war-related stress in Army Reserve forces. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 51(2), 72. Click here Bartone, P. T. (2006). Resilience under military operational stress: can leaders influence hardiness?. Military psychology, 18(sup1), S131-S148. Click here The Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology: click here All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Everything is awesome! Except when it's not. Positivity, although generally valued, can have real downsides in our human relationships and in our organizations. We explore in this episode, specifically: - What toxic positivity is and some different forms of it - Why toxic positivity can be harmful - Implications for all of us Links and Other Information There's a dark side to looking on the bright side. Here's a healthier antidote. Article by Laura Gallaher in Fast Company What is Toxic Positivity? Article by Kendra Cherry Ashkanasy, N. M., & Dorris, A. D. (2017). Emotions in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 67-90. Click here All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Everywhere we turn, it seems, there are amazing solutions to all of our modern problems. But when things sound too good to be true, they often are. In this episode, we unpack the problem of seemingly novel ideas in management. Specifically, we discuss: - What are management fads and how to spot them - Novelty bias: what is it and how does it play out - Better decision making for individuals, leaders, and organizations Links and Other Information Miller, D., & Hartwick, J. (2002). Spotting management fads. Harvard Business Review, 80(10), 26-7. Click here Williams, R. (2004). Management fashions and fads. Management Decision. Click here Cerruti, C., Tavoletti, E., & Grieco, C. (2019). Management consulting: a review of fifty years of scholarly research. Management Research Review. Click here All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Amid the chaos and many challenges we face in society, what can we do so that we don't fall apart? We explore in this episode, including: - Why it might feel like the world is falling apart - What institutions are and why they matter - How we can strengthen human institutions and move forward with hope Links and Other Information All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Institutional strengthening: Guidance from Catholic Relief Services What can you do about the Trumpites next door? Column in the LA Times (which we view as having a highly problematic perspective): click here Ben's blog about William Blake's idea of "mind-forged manacles"

Lists of trends abound. Yet this list--the Top 10 Work Trends for 2021--come from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, so it reflects the views of workplace experts from that field. In this episode, we provide: - An intro to the top 10 work trends for 2021 as reported by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - A discussion of the actual trends - Implications and further considerations regarding the state of the world of work in 2021 Links and Other Information The list of 2021 top trends from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Ben's white paper on agility, one of the trends www.endingracismatwork.org

The COVID pandemic continues on, yet it will end someday. And it's a good idea for leaders everywhere to be thoughtful about preparing for the future--starting TODAY. In this episode, we discuss what the post-pandemic environment might look like for leaders and organizations, specifically: - What practices might stay in place - What might change - What leaders can do now Links and Other Information Yuan, Z., Ye, Z., & Zhong, M. (2021). Plug back into work, safely: Job reattachment, leader safety commitment, and job engagement in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(1), 62-70. click here SHRM article: 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2021 and Beyond All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Conspiracy theories hijack the minds of people from all walks of life. They affect families, friends, coworkers, and leaders. Dealing with conspiracy theories can feel helpless, but there's hope--and there are evidence-based approaches that we can use to make society better and win back those lost to falsehoods. In this episode, we talk about conspiracy theories; in particular: - What is a conspiracy theory? - Why do conspiracy theories matter and why should we care as leaders in our communities and organizations? - What can we do about conspiracy theories? Links and Other Information Sunstein, C. R., & Vermeule, A. (2009). Conspiracy theories: Causes and cures. Journal of Political Philosophy, 17(2), 202-227. click here Article in The Atlantic about QAnon MIT Technology Review article on how to talk to conspiracy theorists Shadowland: A special project exploring conspiracy thinking in America, from The Atlantic Guidelines about conspiracy theories from the European Union Perspectives on conspiracy theories from The Economist More about Sandy Hook conspiracy theories from NPR and This American Life

Outrage sells. Division is rampant. And sometimes it might feel like our world is falling apart. But there's hope, and we all can make a big difference. We explore in this episode, discussing in particular: Finding your purpose What we all can do right now How we can all have a broader influence Links and Other Information All episodes of The Indigo Podcast Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

In this engaging discussion, Scott Tannenbaum, an industrial-organizational psychologist and president of the Group for Organizational Effectiveness, shares his insights on effective teamwork. He introduces the seven key drivers of team performance, emphasizing the importance of capability, cooperation, and psychological safety. Scott dispels myths about team formation, offers practical advice for leaders, and reflects on successful teams like NASA. He also highlights the need for regular debriefing over superficial team-building activities, especially in remote work environments.