Thought-provoking Things Worth Sharing - Issue #160
How are you navigating the political landscape?
The other day, I saw an article from the HR bartender site that caught my eye, given the current US political landscape:
Organizations Need to Have a Position and Policy on Employee Activism.
Several years ago, when I was working somewhere where there were some local protests, we had clients involved, on both sides, in the issue because it involved some construction with the local government. While we all knew our work with those clients had nothing to do with the dispute, it would not have been appreciated if anyone from our company had been too outspoken in public about it.
The advice then was to protest if you wanted to, advocate for your position as a citizen, but under no circumstances represent yourself as an employee of the company.
The last thing anyone wanted was to see a photo of you online with the caption “Joe Smith, employee from XYZ Company.”
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. For each issue, I’ll share information about careers and workplace culture, mental health in the workplace, talent development, and important information about privacy, security, and legal tech.
You can find out all about me here - Mike McBride Online.
In 2025, that advice seems so quaint. It wasn’t that long ago when that was good advice, but times have changed. There is another level of expectation regarding the company taking a side. There is also the reality that anyone taking a side publicly enough is likely to get doxxed, and you’re likely to get calls from people who disagree with that employee asking you to fire them.
Some fellow employees might even want them fired for taking a stand they disagree with.
This year, it seems like staying quiet isn’t an option, and speaking out could be a significant problem when it comes to being employed.
The question is, as workplace leaders, how are you navigating this? Are you laying out policies and boundaries or trying hard to hide your head in the sands of neutrality?
I don’t envy the CEOs and law firm partners who must navigate this. I don’t believe everyone will be happy with whatever you decide but decide you must.
I don’t know what the correct response is either. All I can do is stay true to myself and my belief in what is right.
I’m also not a CEO, so that’s easier to say.
Careers and the Workplace
There’s a little art, too - The Science of Better Networking.
This is an interesting perspective on something I have experienced when I’m doing work my boss doesn’t fully understand. I suspect that as our work becomes more complex and specialized, it will become pretty common.
Artificial Intelligence
Linked - Microsoft Study Finds AI Makes Human Cognition “Atrophied and Unprepared”
I've pointed out before that the promise of AI taking over tasks and freeing employees up to do more strategic decision-making falls apart when considering how many people aren't empowered to set strategies or make decisions.
What's left? They are essentially watching the machine. The work they have left to do will not require much mental exertion. Without regular mental exertion, thinking skills will fade. This is science.
This is not great news - AI chatbots unable to accurately summarise news, BBC finds.
This is good advice. Agents might be helpful, but careful testing should be on the immediate agenda. Experts recommend crawling, then walking, before you run with AI agents.
Some interesting takeaways in this study - 3 takeaways from red teaming 100 generative AI products.
Training and Development
Quick Thought - Willful Ignorance
I learned nothing I could say or do would change their minds in those situations. I also had an obligation to the customer and the other students to move on instead of trying to argue with the person who didn't want to learn. Once their minds are closed off to new information, I'm wasting precious time I could use to educate people who want to be educated.
Confirmation bias is a detriment to learning. - A Psychologist Shares 3 Telltale Signs of Confirmation Bias.
Mental Health in the Workplace
I hope this will continue - Workplace Mental Health: Companies are Implementing Comprehensive Mental Health Initiatives and Fostering Supportive Work Environments.
I downloaded it but haven’t used it much yet. Can some tips inside the browser make a big difference? Is it good enough to be your primary browser? Meet Opera Air, a browser that cares about your mental health.
This is essential information to remember when interacting with your team - How Does Trauma Manifest at Work?
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
Linked - What You Need to Know About the Misinformation Effect
Because if you read enough misinformation, you can't help but be influenced by it. The people who put out all this false information know it, too.
The only way to combat it is to ignore it. We must leave spaces where it occurs, cut ourselves off from people and sites promoting it, and never share anything we haven't vetted with trustworthy fact-checkers. We need zero tolerance for ourselves when it comes to false information online.
This is worth your time - There’s Something Very, Very Wrong With Tech Today. This Man Thinks He Knows How to Fix It.
We’ve all seen the gap - Bridging the eDiscovery Gap.
Ugh. Not again. - UK Is Ordering Apple to Break Its Own Encryption.
That’s all, folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put in each week to share this with you.