10 Great TED Talks on Industrial-Organizational Psychology

When it comes to Industrial-Organizational Technology, being in the vanguard of innovation is a must. Continually looking at the way business addresses the needs of our employees in crucial in the success of businesses long term. Take a look at what some of the leading minds in the industry are suggesting when it comes to how to address work, and see what ideas you can glean to help your workplace be successful and inviting.

Shawn Achor: The Happy Secret to Better Work

“90% of your long term happiness is not determined by the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world.” – Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor, Psychologist and CEO of Good Think, Inc. questions whether we should work hard to be happy or if we must first be happy to work hard. He asserts that happiness can actually inspire workers to be more productive.

Dan Ariely: What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work

“Is efficiency more important than meaning? I think the answer is no.”

Dan Ariely, behavioral economist and author of Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, questions the status quo idea that people are motivated to work by salaries. Instead, Ariely asserts that the typical employee is driven by a sense of purpose and progress.

Alain de Botton: A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success

“It’s bad enough not getting what you want, but it’s even worse to have an idea of what it is you want and find out, at the end of the journey, that it isn’t, in fact, what you wanted all along.” -Alain de Botton

Alain de Botton, philosopher and author of numerous books and founder of The School of Life looks at the ideas of success vs. failure. Botton asserts that if we as a society are able to move past status and focus on finding careers that bring joy, employees will redefine success.

Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing You Can Improve

“When educators create growth mindsets in classrooms steeped in yet, equality happens.” -Carol Dweck

Carol Dweck is a renowned psychologist and researcher. In this talk, she looks at the power of “not yet” rather than failure. Dweck describes a theory of growth where perceived failures are instead considered opportunities to try again to improve the skills needed to be a success, thus improving motivation.

Jason Fried: Why Work Doesn’t Happen at Work

“The real problems in the office are what I call the M & Ms, the managers and the meetings.” -Jason Fried

Jason Fried, founder of Basecamp and author of Rework, challenges the idea that offices are productive places to accomplish tasks. Fried points the finger at managers and meetings for decreasing productivity and makes suggestions for how to improve collaboration and productivity.

Related Resource: What are Psychomotor Skills?

Theresa Glomb: Let’s Make Work Better

“Work Hard. Have Fun. Choose Kind. Be Present.” -Theresa Glomb

Theresa Glomb, professor and author, strives to change the way “work” is perceived. Although many positive things are happening in many workplaces across the country, society seems to draw people to focusing on the negative. Glomb gives listeners evidence-based ways to improve their working lives.

Regina Hartley: Why the Best Hire May Not Have the Perfect Resume

“Choose the underestimated contender, whose secret weapons are passion and purpose. Hire the Scrapper.” -Regina Hartley

Regina Hartley, human resources guru, challenges human resource and hiring personnel to look past perfect resumes in favor of those who have persevered through adversity to achieve their goals. Citing grit as their primary asset, Hartley asserts that these workers often have the passion and purpose needed to succeed in today’s workplace.

Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation

“The secret to high performance isn’t rewards and punishments, but that unseen intrinsic drive- the drive to do things for their own sake.” -Dan Pink

Dan Pink, career analyst and former speechwriter for Al Gore, examines traditional rewards and how they actually affect motivation. Pink asserts that that social scientists seem to understand that these classic incentives do not always increase productivity, but managers are not following their lead and offers some solutions.

Barry Schwartz: The Way We Think About Work is Broken

“We design human nature by designing the institutions within which people live and work.” – Barry Schwartz

Barry Schwartz, psychologist and professor at Swarthmore College, asks employers to stop thinking about employees as insignificant parts of a larger machine. Instead, Schwartz asserts that there are intangible rewards that employees seek, aside from just a paycheck, that many employers ignore.

Simon Sinek: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe

“If you get the environment right, every single one of us has the capacity to do those remarkable things, and, more importantly, others have that capacity, too.” – Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek, leadership expert and management theorist, asks managers to really look at what sets a quality leader apart from the others. Sinek suggests that trust and safety are the key to successful employee / employer relationships.

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