Super-chickens and the pecking order at work
Great TED talk on team work and social capital: "Why it's time to forget the pecking order at work". I think it provides some very valuable insights! #TED #team #productivity
Creativity and the value of intrinsic versus extrinsic rewards
This TED talk provides a really interesting perspective (Dan Pink "The Puzzle of Motivation). Intrinsic motivators work better than extrinsic rewards for all but mechanical tasks, contrary to the strategy used by most businesses (ie, where creativity is required, freedom for autonomy is more valuable). Sometimes I lose sight of just how lucky we are as researchers! I work far more productively when driven by my own goals. I love having the freedom and flexibility to arrange m
How to use positive psychology to boost productivity
This is without a doubt one of my all-time favourite TED talks (Shawn Achor "The happy secret to better work"). I can honestly watch it again and again, not just because Shawn Achor is a brilliant comedian, but because his work provides very real strategies for using positive psychology in our everyday lives to boost our productivity and creativity. #productivity #happiness #TED
How to improve team productivity through effective leadership
This is a great TED talk (Simon Sinek "Why good leaders make you feel safe")! I love how he talks about the reasons behind WHY some teams work well and have great morale, and the role of great leaders in inspiring that teamwork - it comes down to a circle of trust and safety, and the knowledge of reciprocation. "Why did you sacrifice your blood, sweat and tears for this person and the team?" "Because they would have done it for me". And those feelings of trust and safety are
Academia as a career choice?
I found this TED talk interesting ("How to make hard choices", Ruth Chang). I suspect we all came to our current career paths (in science research/academia) through passion and idealism (the reasons we create ourselves) rather than through a rational decision based on the pros and cons of the path itself... Why else would we pursue a path so fraught with challenge, instability, isolation, criticism (peer-review), and lower remuneration than many of our friends who decided aga