think-piece
The Dark Side of Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is the most cited concept in modern management. But without accountability, it produces comfortable teams that never improve. Safety needs a counterweight.
Tareef Jafferi
A researcher and product builder dedicated to improving organizational outcomes. His work began during his time at MIT, where his research in people analytics revealed insights about how to improve employee wellbeing, happiness, and performance.
behavior-hack
Temptation Bundling
Katy Milkman's research shows that bundling unpleasant tasks with enjoyable ones increases follow-through by 29-51%. The trick works for exercise, admin work, and manager duties.
research-drop
The IKEA Effect
Harvard researchers found that people value things they helped create 63% more than identical pre-made versions. This changes how you design every employee program.
think-piece
Burnout Has Six Causes
Christina Maslach's research identified six drivers of burnout. Workload is only one. The other five (fairness, control, community, reward, values) predict it more strongly. Most organizations only address the wrong one.
behavior-hack
The Pre-Mortem
Gary Klein's pre-mortem technique flips planning on its head. Instead of asking "how will we succeed?" you ask "it failed, why?" Teams that do this catch 30% more risks.
research-drop
The Loss Aversion Tax
Kahneman and Tversky proved people work twice as hard to avoid losing something as they do to gain something equivalent. Most HR programs ignore this completely.
think-piece
Open Offices Failed
We ran a twenty-year experiment on open offices. The data is in. Face-to-face interaction dropped. Email increased. Collaboration decreased. Time to admit it didn't work.
behavior-hack
The Silent Start
Most meetings fail in the first minute when the loudest voice sets the agenda. A silent start changes the dynamic entirely. Everyone thinks before anyone speaks.
research-drop
The Peak-End Rule
People don't remember experiences as averages. They remember the peak moment and how it ended. This changes everything about how you design employee experiences.
think-piece
Stop Building Culture
Most culture initiatives add programs, events, values statements. But the best cultures aren't built through addition. They emerge when you subtract the friction that prevents good behavior.
behavior-hack
Habit Stack Your Recognition
Recognition intentions fail because they float in your calendar, unanchored. Attach them to something you already do, and they become automatic.
research-drop
The 70% Rule
Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. Not culture. Not perks. Not mission statements. The person running the weekly standup.