Columbia University Human Capital Management

Our HCM faculty were treated to a presentation and discussion led by Lindsay McGregor,?New York Times?best-selling author?of?'Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation',?and the CEO of?Vega and Factor.ai. Lindsay shared?fundamental insights into what drives high-performing teams and organizations, sharing valuable experiences and research findings that highlight the importance of nurturing a culture rooted in play, purpose, and potential. Lindsay began by reflecting on her own career journey, which included working with numerous organizations that, despite their talented teams, often fell short of their goals. Employees frequently expressed feelings of bureaucracy and a lack of meaningful work engagement. To derive genuine insights, Lindsay led a deep dive into understanding how top organizations maintain high performance. A central theme emerged: the reasons behind our work directly shape how well we perform. Lindsay shared an engaging experiment with toddlers that measured how specific motivators impacted their helpful behavior. Surprisingly, toddlers who were rewarded with a toy after having helped an adult ultimately demonstrated the poorest helping behavior in comparison with those who received verbal praise or even nothing at all, highlighting how external incentives can hamper intrinsic motivation. This finding led to a critical examination, supported by multiple executive interviews, of how motivation operates on a spectrum and involves two very different types of performance within organizations. 1. Tactical Performance, involving a response to externally induced pressure and resulting in an adherence to processes, completion of tasks, and achieving goals through structured methodologies. 2. Adaptive Performance, involving a response to internal drives and a psychologically safe space that enables creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to innovate in ever-changing environments. Lindsay shared multiple examples of the relationship between these two types of motivators and performance at work and at home. She emphasized that effective people and organizations need to nurture adaptive performance, and shared multiple research findings to support the relationship between adaptive performance and measures such as cross-selling, net promoter scores and profitability. She also offered actionable insights to foster such a culture: 1. Understand Motivators:?Fostering play, purpose, and potential should be crucial components of workplace culture, as they drive engagement and creativity. 2. Create a Safe Environment:?A psychologically safe atmosphere enables employees to share ideas and collaborate without the fear of failure. 3. Align Organizational Systems:?Ensure that your organization’s systems, such as performance reviews and strategic planning, align with motivating employees intrinsically rather than through external pressures.

Earlier this November, Columbia HCM alumni gathered for our network event, and it was fantastic to see returning faces, in person and online!

In Aaron Wallen's Intro to Human Management?class,?students engaged with Mark Frein, COO of Oyster?, who emphasized that organizational culture is a legacy built through meaningful connections and shared experiences, aligning with innovative HR practices that prioritize intentionality and purpose.

On December 5, the Career Design Lab - Columbia University School of Professional Studies and Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation will host its live 5th annual Greater Good Challenge. During the competition, watch the teams pitch innovative business solutions addressing current global and societal needs. RSVP today. https://bit.ly/3B5MtCx

Steve Safier, PhD and Melanie Rosenwasser's "Effective Partnership Strategies" class had the good fortune of learning from Rita Ramakrishnan PCC, ACTC, Managing Director and Leadership Coach at Iksana Consulting. In this role,?Rita?works with high-growth companies to transform their cultures, scale capabilities, and improve leadership and team effectiveness. Prior to this,?Rita?was the Chief People Officer at Cadre, a VC-backed startup, and also led teams driving culture change and transformations at organizations including Square and JUUL Labs. In her presentation on change management,?Rita?introduced a structured approach to transitioning people, teams, and organizations from current to desired states with minimal disruption and lasting impact. The framework she described integrates principles from neuroscience, adult development theory, sales effectiveness frameworks, and organizational psychology to create a holistic, people-centered process. For example, she underscored that true behavioral change requires practice (as much as 80 repetitions) in order to cement new habits. ? Rita?emphasized that she believes that the change management methodology or model isn’t important. Rather, what's important is choosing the proper levers to pull from those models and personalizing them to match the context of the problem we’re trying to solve. “Be disciplined with the ‘what’ and flexible with the ‘how,’” she noted. Looking ahead,?Rita?shared that AI and automation are transforming the workforce. She relayed a forecast that AI may replace 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones, necessitating a shift in how we educate and reward work. With the rise of this digital transformation, flexibility in change management is key. Unlike traditional linear models, today's change approach must be agile, accommodating both top-down and bottom-up perspectives while addressing the unique needs of a multigenerational workforce. Her overarching advice is to approach both change and one’s career with curiosity and dedication, stressing that, "You can be great at anything you choose if you put in the time." Her narrative underscored that effective change management—and career growth—stem from a blend of empathy, adaptability, and a continuous learning mindset.

I’m happy to share that I’ve been involved as a President with Human Capital Management Club at Columbia University. It's a great organization - please comment below or message me if you would like to learn more or get involved. https://lnkd.in/ev5Er4gj

What a Night to Remember at HCM Talks 2024! On behalf of our club, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made HCM Talks such an extraordinary event. To our incredible speakers—you truly shone so brightly on stage, delivering insights, passion, and inspiration that left us all in awe. Naomi Haile, M.S. Abhishek Chauthmal Jude Fomeche Jennifer Diaz Yumi K Michael Patrick Davidson Julienne Reblora D'Artagnan Luc Elliott Frazier Horn A special shoutout goes to Marcia Stepanek, whose exceptional coaching elevated this event to new heights. Your guidance and expertise were instrumental in creating an unforgettable experience for all. ??? A special thank you to Columbia University Human Capital Management for supporting us through it all, and Organization and Human Development Consulting Club (OHDCC) Teachers College, Columbia University for the collaboration and the teamwork that we had. It was one of the best experiences we ever had! From thought-provoking discussions to moments of laughter and connection, the night had it all. The energy, the ideas, and the shared enthusiasm were nothing short of inspiring.? We’re already counting down the days to HCM Talks 2025—the journey continues, and we can't wait to see what’s next! ??? Thank you, everyone, for being a part of this remarkable evening. Let’s keep the momentum going! Question for you, are you ready to be our next speaker? #HCMTalks #Gratitude #Inspiration #LookingAheadTo2025?

We are very proud of our expert, caring faculty (and their networks).

Susan Alevas, Esq. (She/Her), Columbia HCM adjunct lecturer, shares her insights on navigating the legal challenges of AI bias in hiring practices in her class:?Foundations of Labor and Employment Law.?