When failing at work helps you improve, the haves and have nots of office life, and more top insights

What’s happening in the world of work: The Saturday edition of the Daily Rundown highlights the business trends, perspectives, and hot topics you need to know to work smarter. Read on and join the conversation. 

Failure can pay off, in the long run: Researchers from Northwestern Kellogg have found that scientists who fall just under the threshold to receive NIH funding for their work ultimately end up publishing higher impact research years later than their successful peers. Part of this may be due to what’s called the “screening effect,” that the group of losers thinned out and only the most persistent researchers stuck things out. The other possibility? That losing can, in fact, inspire us to work harder and improve. ? Here’s what people are saying.  

Are offices going the way of airlines? Tech advances, shifting social norms and the evolution of work has made office space less necessary to many kinds of employees. But instead of disappearing altogether, for now, the office may be splitting into a tiered system, The Economist suggests. For “first-class passengers,” the office is becoming a selling point, with perks and amenities once reserved for the executive set (on-site dry cleaning, anyone?). Meanwhile, those riding in coach are lucky if they have a desk they can call their own, with hot-desking on the rise. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Where pretty people lose at work: While attractive people tend to have an easier time getting work and are often paid more, those benefits are certainly not universal, according to research from the University of Dayton’s Chun Zhang. In a study of service workers — waitstaff, flight attendants, retail employees — Zhang found that customers who view themselves as less attractive came away with poor feelings about the service they received from good looking staff. The customer experience depends, at least in part, on how people identify with those who are helping them. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

You Asked: “I want to know, why does a company prefer someone with no experience in the industry for a manager position over someone with over 17 years of experience? Is it easier to learn the business than it is to manage people?” — Fatima, Denver-based lab technician ? Join the conversation. 

• “You are not alone. This happens a lot, for a few reasons. Organisations like to bring in fresh blood with a different viewpoint from a different vertical. They may see those experiences and new insights to be particularly relevant for a much needed pivot in the market. They may have the energy to take risks with optimism vs someone with greater experience that may be following the mantra ‘we’ve tried this before, and it’ll never work.’ Employers like go-getters who can get results. I realise this sounds callous, but this is what happens time and time again. The C-suite may believe that a shakeup is necessary and they’ll do whatever it takes to take the company through to the next year or through a transition or change. They may have the philosophy of ‘if nothing changes, nothing changes.’ In this scenario it seems they value your legacy knowledge and management of the team, but maybe not your leadership. What often happens is that the C-suite can see your skills but perhaps haven’t done a great job of explaining to you what they see. May I encourage you to generate a 360 environment with the leadership to ask them what skills they value and how they see you progressing? You might be more encouraged by their comments than a traditional promotion.” — Caroline Stokes, executive headhunter, executive coach, and author of “Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR strategies to Save Your Company” 

Looking for career advice from the pros? Submit your questions in the comments with #YouAsked and we’ll take care of the rest.

Making an argument? Keep it simple: When we’re passionate about making a persuasive case to others, many of us opt to pile on the supporting evidence. But when it comes to argumentation, less is often more, according to London Business School’s Niro Sivanathan. When we take an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to persuasion, our argument often suffers from a “dilution effect”, where stronger evidence mixes with the weak, making everything seem average. To make your case, go for short and sweet. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

One last idea: Cosmetics entrepreneur Bobbi Brown reminds us of the importance of being willing to appear foolish, especially when it’s in the service of a larger goal. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

“We risk failing by being afraid to do things out of our comfort zone. The fear of being embarrassed, or embarrassing ourselves. Only by being fearless, and doing scary things, can we grow and advance.” 

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Scott Olster