Here are some ideas for classroom or workplace conversations minds active in the first few minutes of class or for a stimulating discussion at work.
How do I deal with a difficult colleague?
Questions to pose:
- What do you do when someone you rely on at work is a “certified jerk”?
- Are there options for dealing with a bully other than avoiding them or quitting?
- Is it a good idea to get HR involved? If so, then how?
How do I motivate an idle team member or student?
Questions to pose:
- What expectations should a manager have for their employees’ self-starting behavior? Or a teacher for their students?
- Is employee idleness usually derived from routine, or does passivity come with disruptive intent?
- How can you go beyond “carrots and sticks” when it comes to motivating employees?
How do I manage a direct report with more experience?
Questions to pose:
- Have you ever been in a situation on a team where you have someone older or more experienced you need to manage? What’s a constructive response to feeling outshone by “star talent”?
- How can you avoid conflict when a more experienced direct report disagrees with you?
- How do you overcome insecurity as a manager?
How do I lead with authenticity?
Questions to pose:
- How can employees bring their whole self to work, especially when pressured to conform?
- What does “unprofessional” really mean, and how does that reflect the lived experience of employees?
- You’re angry at work. Now what?
How do I confront gender bias?
In this Ice Breaker, students meet a woman who learned that her facial expressions might have cost her a promotion.
Questions to pose:
- What responsibility do we have to identify unequal and unfair standards at work?
- How can issues of gender bias be confronted at work, both on an individual and institutional level?
- In what ways can a woman overcome gender bias at work without endangering her career?
Supporting Sources: Harvard Business Review
