Communication is absolutely critical in understanding social networks and it sounds like organizations that put a priority on helping people communicate the value of communication can be much more effective. When people from different backgrounds that have different ideas come together, what research has shown is that they tend to outperform from a creativity and innovation standpoint. Groups that are more homogenous but the key to having those benefits come about is the ability for people to be able to communicate. We want to make sure that everybody can bring their best selves to the communication.
If we want healthier companies, schools, and teams associate professor of organizational behavior Adina Sterling says investing in the health of marginalized groups “can have enormous spillover effects for everyone.”
Sterling is an organizational theorist and economic sociologist whose research explores how human relationships affect organizations and markets. As she says, “The outcomes that individuals, groups, and organizations experience have to do with the social networks that they have.”
In her class and lab, Equity by Design, Sterling explores the structural and cultural drivers of workplace inequality. In this episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, she and Matt Abrahams discuss how organizations can leverage social networks, DE&I efforts, and better communication to create better outcomes for individuals and the collective.
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