2015 was an important year for business, as our collective crush on technology began to fade, and we realized that our beloved devices weren't all they were cracked up to be. In fact, after some soul-searching, we finally admitted to ourselves that the digital deluge was causing high stress, low engagement, unsettling turnover and a pervasive search for meaning. The CEOs and companies that stand out in 2015 are the ones who paid attention to this shift, and took concrete steps to right their ships, bringing back real-time, face-to-face conversation and connection.
Visionary after visionary in 2015 pointed to the one solution so simple we overlook it.
Relationships.
As a human capital consultant who has spent the last 20 years devoted to helping businesses and individuals cultivate meaningful and productive relationships, I have been thrilled to see this trend. Here are ten terrific stories I followed in 2015.
1. ) Tony Schwartz, the dynamic CEO of The Energy Project wrote an important piece called, "Addicted to Distraction" in the New York Times. Anyone who feels powerless over technology needs to check this one out.
Takeaway: At the end of a self-imposed tech-free vacation, Schwartz watched a father tinker with his phone instead of engage with his "adorable" daughter. "The silence felt deafening."
2.) In 2015, Linkedin's revenue was $780 million. In the third quarter. What is CEO Jeff Weiner's #1 Management Principle? Manage Compassionately. What does that mean? Pay attention to relationships.
Takeaway: When dealing with a "frazzled employee," instead of reacting out of your own "triggers," Weiner coaches managers to "connect with that person..."
3.) Stewart Butterfield, founder of Flickr and Slack, two wildly successful tech companies, making him one of 2015's top CEOs, told the New York Times that he wants his employees to "look out for each other," and exhibit "courtesy."
Takeaway: "When we talk about the qualities we want in people, empathy is a big one. If you can empathize with people, then you can do a good job."
4.) Breakout eyewear brand, Warby Parker hires for empathy, too. Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal goes so far as to watch potential hires' language: are they more interested in the "I" or the "we?"
Takeaway: "We know in this day and age that almost no work gets done outside a team setting."
5.) Leadership expert, Mark C. Crowley reported on the fact that "Employee Engagement Isn't Getting Better and Gallup Shares the Surprising Reasons Why." This is a must-read for every manager.
Takeaway: "Engagement largely comes down to whether people have a manager who cares about them, grows them and appreciates them." In another, similar piece Crowley goes so far as to say employees need to feel "loved."
6.) How did healthcare giant Aetna save $2,000 per year in its own healthcare costs and gain $3,000 per year in employee productivity? How else? By teaching mindfulness to its employees, of course. As David Gelles, author of the 2015 book Mindful Work points out, tending to one's relationship to oneself is good for business.
Takeaway: "Over the last 30 years, there's been this tremendous volume of research...that's been really quantifying the effects of mindfulness. And we can now see it actually improves our immune system....seems to reduce stress...All of a sudden, there's this tantalizing promise that maybe it can even affect the bottom line."
7.) Adam Grant, Wharton whiz, author of the upcoming Originals, and a big name in 2015, wrote about the importance of getting in front of people, even when the "payoff" might not be obvious.
Takeaway: "So next time you get a brain-picking request, you might consider taking the conversation. And if you're the one looking for guidance, there's a better way to show respect than asking to pick someone's brain. "Can I seek your advice? I'd value your insight because..."
8.) Shimul Melwani, and Naomi Rothman, professors of organizational behavior and management, respectively, report on their amazing research for the Harvard Business Review, showing that even ambivalent relationships are good for the bottom line.
Takeaway: "What we predicted was that with frenemies, you're more likely to put yourself in the other person's shoes, in part because you spend more time trying to understand what the relationship means. Also, because these relationships make you feel uncertain about where you stand, you're more motivated to work harder to establish your position."
9.) Michele Moltrasio, CEO of the Italian textiles company, Gabel, after learning that his employees were stressed, went radical and banned internal email for a week.
Takeaway: While it wasn't easy, Moltrasio reports that his employees, "are rediscovering the pleasure of meeting and talking rather than writing."
10.) Speaking of email bans, this study by professors Kostadin Kushlev and Elizabeth W. Dunn made it plain. The name of the article, published in Computers in Human Behavior, and discussed by the authors in the New York Times, is: "Checking Email Less Frequently Reduces Stress."
Takeaway: "Constantly monitoring our inboxes promotes stress without promoting efficiency...So if you're still hunting for a New Year's resolution, try to resist visiting your inbox as often as you feel compelled to do."
And turn to relationships instead.
What are some ways you or your business are working with relationships? Please, stay in touch!
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