Use curiosity and observation to calmly talk with team members about behavior that may be disruptive instead of overreacting, and show appreciation when they express a willingness to change, writes Liz Kislik. "If your body is calm and expansive, you'll be more likely to feel and look that way, and less likely to seem like you're about to pounce or rage," Kislik writes.
Employees want to be recognized for the work that is less evident, such as solving a challenging customer problem or working extra hours to meet a deadline, writes Christopher Littlefield, founder of Beyond Thank You. Try practicing "reflective recognition," which urges employees to tell you about the work they're proud of and responding with a "thank you" or positive feedback, Littlefield suggests.
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Interactions, an artificial intelligence company, has had success with engaging its remote employees by offering online activities such as wine tastings, dog shows, Slack games and discussions on specific topics, says Chief People Officer Mary Clermont, who adds the company also started a blog channel. "We oftentimes get a lot of interplay with people who are excited about a post," Clermont says.
Stephen Paskoff, founder, president and CEO of ELI, explains two things companies are getting wrong with diversity, equity and inclusion and how to fix them. Fostering an inclusive workplace takes more than training, requiring a will to change behaviors and to focus on what unites people, instead of dividing them, Paskoff writes.
The new Proto M technology livestreams a small, hologram-style, head-to-toe image of people for virtual meetings or even calls with friends and loved ones. "There's much more emotional connection ...than on a 2D display," CEO David Nussbaum says.
If you've ever wondered if your pets respond differently to you than they do to strangers, you're not alone. And a recent study has confirmed that with cats. In the study, indoor cats showed a reaction to the voices of their owners when spoken to in a high-pitched "baby" voice but not to strangers doing the same. However, dogs are more likely to respond enthusiastically to everyone.
