The Gartner Talent Angle

Shawn T. Smith is a clinical psychologist in Denver, Colorado, and the author of five books, including Surviving Aggressive People and The User’s Guide to the Human Mind.

Aggressive people can lay a dark cloud of negative energy over any workplace, from the manufacturing line to the boardroom. Listen to this podcast to hear Shawn Smith--a clinical psychologist and the author of Surviving Aggressive People--share time-tested methods for conflict management historically reserved for law enforcement, psychologists, and other professionals working the frontlines of emotionally charged situations.

*This interview is excerpted from our 2018 interview. Inclusion can be far more than a feel-good sideline. Google's Kat Holmes joins the Talent Angle to show how inclusion can spur innovation, catalyze creativity, and boost the bottom line. 

In his book Experimentation Works: The Surprising Power of Business Experiments, Stefan Thomke shares that bright ideas and decisive actions alone do not create innovation. Instead, innovation depends on a culture of experimentation which values the science of testing. By stripping big ideas into hypotheses to test what does and doesn’t work, organizations are better positioned to establish a competitive edge and generate strong financial returns.

Being a good leader requires understanding how your actions affect others’ motivation and mental state. Christine Comaford, entrepreneur and bestselling author of Power Your Tribe: Create Resilient Teams in Turbulent Times, breaks down the neuroscience of effective leadership to a level that you don’t need a Ph.D. to understand. 

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, both employers and employees are coming to terms with the economic and societal impacts. Given the widespread disruption, many are concerned with prospects for growth and recovery, as well as the potential for lasting structural impact. Brian Kropp, Gartner’s Chief of HR Research, joins the Talent Angle podcast to discuss how HR leaders can effectively plan a response, manage employees remotely and communicate for impact.

The power of preventative thinking is one that is underutilized by organizations and individuals alike; a shortcoming which perpetuates reactive, rather than proactive, solutions. This according to Dan Heath, author of Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen. In his book, Heath makes the case for an upstream mindset — arguing that this approach can effectively surface solutions to seemingly intractable problems by highlighting early warning indicators.

*This excerpt was taken from out 2018 interview. Are there professional ways to deal with complainers in the workplace? In this episode of the Talent Angle, Will Bowen, author of A Complaint Free World, shares five ways to identify chronic complaining in your work environment and how to silence them with easy-to-remember solutions. 

In this episode of The Talent Angle podcast, Alden Mills, author of Unstoppable Teams: The 4 Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership, discusses his C.A.R.E.-based leadership framework. Mills shares how HR and business leaders can overcome personal barriers and build teams that are motivated by factors greater than themselves.

*This excerpt was taken from our 2018 interview. Is it possible for businesses to simultaneously drive social impact, innovation, and financial returns all at the same time?

More than ever, employees are making their career and purchasing decisions based on a company’s purpose and societal impact. In this episode of the Talent Angle, Wendy Woods, Senior Partner and Global Leader of BCG’s Social Impact Practice, discusses how companies that strive for Total Societal Impact can achieve positive returns in their brand, engagement, PR, and the long-term sustainability of their business models. 

Conflict resolution can seem like a daunting task, especially when previous attempts  have failed. In this episode of the Talent Angle, Dr. Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, author of Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself from Conflict at Work, at Home and in Life discusses practical approaches to both resolve and free yourself from conflict. By applying these practices, you will not only learn to observe complex situations with greater clarity, but ultimately achieve your optimal outcome.