Here are some articles in the news the past two months I curated that you might be interested in checking in, related to the coaching industry. Every month I grab some articles in the coaching and wellbeing industry that were published or discussed in that month, and curate them into a post to share with you. Check back each month to get a pulse on the industry and be a part of the conversation.
This month, I’m combining August and September because I took vacation in late August and didn’t get around to posting then. Honestly, work-life balance in action, folks.
Preparing Your Mind for Uncertain Times
Eric Weiner, the author of The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers, explores what ancient philosophers can teach us in this pandemic about embracing all of the unknowns. There is so much uncertainty happening now – will I get infected, what does this mean for my job security, will we shut down again. And at the same time, we know that humans really struggle with uncertainty. So what to do, and how to handle this time? Eric points to two ways to address this “problem”: by decreasing the amount of perceived risk or by increasing our tolerance for uncertainty. He calls upon work from philosophers to explore the later.
Read the full article on The Atlantic here.
Being a selfish jerk doesn’t get you ahead, research finds
Good news for the good guys. Research at UC Berkeley published in late August showed that disagreeable people do not get ahead faster than others. They conducted two longitudinal studies over a decade, and reported that those who scored high on disagreeable traits were not more likely to have attained power than those were were generous, trustworthy and generally nice. They looked at the four main ways people attain power (dominant-aggressive behavior, political behavior, communal behavior, and competent behavior) to analyze their findings. It’s a quick read, check it out.
Read the full article on Berkeley News here.
The Fall Idea Books to Teach You Something New
Adam Grant, organizational psychologist at Wharton, author and podcaster, posted a list of his favorite new releases this fall. They include themes around building careers and companies, rebuilding our lives and institutions, thinking clearly, entertaining, and sustaining energy, workplaces and our environments. He breaks down the list into those categories, and lists the publish dates for all of the books. I appreciate this great resource he curated. Take a peek and shop the list!
Read the full article on LinkedIn here.
We’re All Socially Awkward Now
The kids are back in school and there’s lots of conversation around social skills and kids, with concerns around social distance learning and development. But what about us adults?! This NY Times article looks at how this pandemic is influencing our social skills. The columnist points to work by psychologists and neuroscience and research on isolated groups like prisoners and astronauts. I recommend checking it out.
Read the full article in the New York Times here.
The Surprising Power of Reading Outloud
I bet the last book you read, you read silently on your own, right? Unless you have kids at home, reading out loud likely isn’t happening in your house. This article looks at a growing body of research that suggests we are missing out by not reading out loud. However in history, reading was historically a noisy shared concept, less so a solitary activity. Curious about why we switched over to silent reading? Pop into this article to check out the argument for turning up the volume on your personal reading.
Read the full article on the BBC here.
Mental health startup eQuoo will be distributed by Unilever in new global youth campaign
I’m always interested in coaching industry trends, and one growing area in the field is games and apps. Last year the U.K.-based mental health startup eQuoo became an NHS-approved mental health game. And now recently Unilever selected the app for their new global marketing campaign, marketed to 18 to 35-year olds. The game teaches communication, and aims to better equip young adults with personal resilience to manage today’s pressures.
Read the full article on TechCrunch here.
How Teens Are Making Meaning Out of the Pandemic
Teens are frequently portrayed in this pandemic as either neglecting to follow public health guidelines, or floundering under lack of socialization. This article puts the attention instead on how teens are finding a sense of purpose in helping others during this time. It highlights a few teens and their experiences, and looks at what the pandemic means to teens. It’s inspiring to hear of how this generation is navigating the presenting hardship of the pandemic.
Read the full article in Greater Good Magazine here.
Stay tuned for October’s news roundup on the blog at the end of the month. I look forward to sharing the top stories.
Take care!
