Let’s Get this Thing Started!
I recently finished listening to Adam Grant’s latest book, Hidden Potential. First off, I loved it, but that’s no surprise as I find few things more gratifying than helping others unlock what’s inside of them. Towards the end of the book, Adam wrote the words “systems of opportunity.” These words stood out to me like someone had shined a spotlight on them. This small phrase encompasses why I chose to pursue a master’s degree. As I’ve been studying the different facets of Industrial Organizational Psychology, all I can see are “systems of opportunity.” (Considering Adam Grant is probably the most famous Organizational Psychologist, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.) My personal mission is to find and promote systems that enhance the quality of life for the people that work within them. I’ve found that as we search for ways to amplify the skills and wellness of others, the benefits of doing so are often surprising and far reaching.
In I/O Psychology specifically, we study everything from large organizational behavior topics, such as ethics, leadership, and motivation to more detailed practitioner topics such as hiring practices, performance management, and training. Some of my favorite topics are groups & teams, culture, and stress/wellbeing at work. Each of these topics hold opportunities for enhancing the quality of life for people. I’ve also seen that each of these topics have different outcomes based on the beliefs and intents of the people that build and implement them.
As I focus more minutely on the different topics within my program, I plan to write about my experiences with them here in this blog. Although I write quite a bit in my program, academic writing doesn’t promote the use of story and informal language, so you get the chance to be my outlet. Last semester we were learning about I/O topics on a high level. Starting in February, we get to dive deeper, and I look forward to sharing with you what I learn.
After last semester, some things stood out to me more than others. Here’s a quick summary:
At the center of every organization is the belief the leaders hold about their people. Leaders can be anyone from executives, to coworkers, to parents and friends. As long as that individual has the ability to influence someone else, they are a leader and what we believe about the fundamental aspects of those who work with us will color everything we see (see my foundational philosophy post to read more).
The belief system of the leaders will inform an organization’s formal purpose and values.
Value driven organizations will have systems in place that support, protect, and promote individuals who perform well and have excellent pro-social skills.
However, even the best built system will be put to the test when put into action because people are not truly predictable. Which means that knowing the systems is not enough. One must also understand the importance of people skills (also known as pro-social skills).
The people skills within an organization show their true colors during communication moments. Communication does not simply mean formal communication but means the different communications that vary across mediums and richness. One of the most underutilized communication skills is good listening.
Finally, in a world that promotes moving forward as fast as possible, it is all too often that organizations miss the importance of building in intentional reflection times. Whether it be to analyze the effectiveness of a training program or to review a hiring process, all too often we jump the gun on trying to check the box for “complete” before making sure it was “correct.”
I’m grateful you’ve chosen to read along with me. I’m glad you’re here and I look forward to learning with you in posts to come. Here we go…
