About this Project

At the start of this study in 2019 – and in the past decade – it was already understood that cross-functional teams and networks are the primary source of innovation and the way that work gets done in most organizations. Yet, cross-functional groups continue to bump up against conflicting incentives, hierarchical decision-making, cultural rigidities, a lack of trust, and other obstacles that cause progress to stall or action to not be taken at all.

More recently, the challenge of leading teams and networks has become even more complex as many more of these teams are operating in distributed environments, if not completely virtual.

Rob Cross’ previous research into high-performing teams and networks demonstrated that success comes from mid-tier leaders who create the right conditions for collaboration, irrespective of organizational design or culture. What remained unknown is how, specifically, these leaders accomplish this work, often in the face of significant work demands and misaligned organizational context.

To answer this question, Rob Cross and his research partner, Inga Carboni, interviewed 100 project leaders across twenty (20) world-class organizations to better understand:

(1) the collaborative practices that enable these leaders to promote healthy network patterns critical to project success and avoid excessive collaboration friction that derails efforts and
(2) the context these leaders create – through leadership principles, talent processes, use of collaborative tools, etc. – that enables productive collaboration to emerge.

Two papers emerged from the research.

In the paper called, “Collaborative Practices of High-Performing Teams”, three broad drivers of network success are identified:

• Network management: Cultivating effective network structures; replicating patterns of high performance
• Relational Enablers: Facilitating the creation of high-quality relationships; speeding development of effective connections
• Collaborative Context: Shaping the team’s ecosystem; developing a holistic set of external relationships for success

The paper also includes a detailed set of actionable practices that are designed to improve team and network performance in your own organization.

Just as there are network patterns of high performance, the study found that there are also specific network patterns that derail or undermine team success. In the paper on the “The Six Dysfunctions of Collaborative Work”, these patterns are illustrated and defined, with instructions on how to diagnose and remedy them.

We are excited to share the results of this important research and confident that you will find the content of these reports insightful and practical. You can download them below. To stay informed about this and other studies funded by IRC4HR, please share your name and email address in the Stay in the Loop form on this page.

Researchers

Rob Cross

Rob is the Edward A. Madden Professor of Global Business at Babson College and Director of the Connected Commons, a consortium of companies dedicated to developing the research, relationships, and resources that enable individuals and organizations to thrive in the Connected Economy. For almost twenty years, Rob’s research, teaching, and consulting have focused on applying social network analysis to critical business issues for actionable insights and bottom-line results. He has worked with more than 300 leading organizations (companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations) on a variety of solutions including innovation, organizational change and alignment, talent optimization, and leadership effectiveness.

Below are two papers that present the findings and insights from the research funded by IRC4HR. To learn more about Rob’s research and his network of practitioners that are co-creating new applications of his methods and tools, please visit his website at https://www.robcross.org/ or the website of the Connected Commons at https://connectedcommons.com/.

Inga Carboni

Inga is an Associate Professor at William & Mary College. She is an award-winning instructor, author of numerous journal publications, and a 2015 recipient of a Fulbright Teaching and Scholar grant. Professor Carboni’s expertise and research interests involve networks and networking, diversity and inclusion, building and managing relationships, and leadership. Her current research focuses on gender differences in networks and networking, and the impact of those differences on individuals and organizations.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications and Learning Materials

White Paper

Collaborative Practices of High-Performing Teams
(20 pages)

The Six Dysfunctions of Collaborative Work
(16 pages)

IRC4HR^® Upcoming Webinars and Studies

We’re funding new research by Rob Cross that is studying the Relational Drivers of Well-Being. Sign up using the Stay in the Loop form on this page to be notified of upcoming research by Rob and other IRC4HR grantees.

About this Project

Through conversations with 100 women and men in ten leading organizations, Rob Cross and Jean Singer have gained an unusual level of richness and insight into how people’s connections with others create the essential fabric that underpins well-being.

These insights became even more relevant as our interactions shifted to accommodate Covid-19 and as they continue to evolve as we emerge from the pandemic. Maintaining well-being in these times requires us to be all the more deliberate and purposeful about how we connect with others. This careful analysis of how successful people initiate and maintain their critical connections is a valuable and practical guide for anyone who would like to be more intentional about this process.

Every model of well-being includes relationships as a component of what creates a happier person. But in most models, the relationships are separate from the other components rather than considering how relationships drive them. Most models also provide no depth on how people form and maintain these healthy connections, what people get from them, or what happens if they fall out of these connections mid-career as life and family take over. This study places relationships at the center and explores the ways that connections enable or enhance four pillars of well-being:

• Sense of purpose
• Resilience
• Personal growth
• Physical health

The study builds on two decades of related research and shows how relationships are an under-valued resource, and how people who intentionally manage connections in certain ways see better results, both in their performance and well-being. Using insights from the interviews, Rob and Jean have identified changes people can make personally, and provided guidance for organizations on the types of support they can provide for employees.

The first two papers, Finding Purpose and Resilience is a Team Sport, include deep insights into the role of relationships in our ability to find purpose and develop resilience, along with practices and frameworks that enable immediate application of the findings. Also included are stories of what others are doing to manage professional and personal life today.

Researchers

Rob Cross

Rob is the Edward A. Madden Professor of Global Business at Babson College and Director of the Connected Commons, a consortium of companies dedicated to developing the research, relationships, and resources that enable individuals and organizations to thrive in the Connected Economy. For almost twenty years, Rob’s research, teaching, and consulting have focused on applying social network analysis to critical business issues for actionable insights and bottom-line results. He has worked with more than 300 leading organizations (companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations) on a variety of solutions including innovation, organizational change and alignment, talent optimization, and leadership effectiveness.

To learn more about Rob’s research and his network of practitioners that are co-creating new applications of his methods and tools, please visit his website at https://www.robcross.org/ or the website of the Connected Commons at https://connectedcommons.com/.

Jean Singer

Jean Singer, PhD, is an organizational consultant specializing in the use of social network principles and techniques to improve performance. She combines 20+ years of experience in the fields of organizational development and business process improvement with the latest tools of network analysis to help companies build better cross-functional collaborations, influence the adoption of change, enhance process efficiency, and create the diverse knowledge-sharing connections needed to foster innovation. Jean is also a core member of the Connected Commons and a co-editor of The Organization Network Field Book: Best Practices, Techniques and Exercises to Drive Organizational Innovation and Performance.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications and Learning Materials

White Paper

Finding Purpose
(22 pages)

Resilience is a Team Sport
(24 pages)

About this Project

Work for Tomorrow is a global innovation competition, led by the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK), which seeks to identify and reward the most promising innovations to address the challenges and opportunities of an aging workforce.

Across the world, societies are aging – and so are our workforces. We know that 1 in 3 workers in the G20 is already aged 50 and over – and this is set to increase to more than 4 in 10 by 2040. Alongside technological advancement, this will fundamentally transform the workplace of the not-so-distant future for workers of all ages.

Living longer can bring benefits for individuals, society, and the economy. Far from being a cost or drain, an aging workforce brings with it a host of opportunities.

However, poor health, caring responsibilities, and ageism in the workplace are pushing far too many older people out of the workplace early – costing not just individuals, but employers and societies. To maximize a potential “longevity dividend”, employers and governments need to wake up to the reality of an aging workforce and make sure our jobs, our workplaces, and our working patterns adapt in line with these changes.

The Work for Tomorrow program began in 2020 with a consultation paper that identified four key challenge areas. These include:

• Maintaining good health
• Building knowledge, skills, and competence
• Addressing discrimination and supporting diversity
• Adapting the workplace

The innovation competition launched on May 20th, 2021, to coincide with the second annual International HR Day. If you have a bright idea or an existing product or service that is designed to address one of the challenge areas, please consider submitting an application! Applications will be accepted until September 1st, 2021.

We also would love to hear from you if you:

• Would like to share key challenges of an aging workforce that you have identified
• Are interested in writing a blog or creating a video on one of these issues

If you would like to get involved in our program, or need more information, please contact: LilyParsey@ilcuk.org.uk.

To stay informed about this and other studies funded by IRC4HR, please share your name and email address in the Stay in the Loop form on this page.

About the ILC and the Work for Tomorrow program

International Longevity Centre (ILC) 

The ILC is the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society, and what happens next. It was established in 1997 as one of the members of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance, an international network on longevity.

Since its inception, ILC has published more than 250 reports and organized more than 300 events, including the annual Future of Ageing conference.

The ILC works with central government, local government, the private sector, and professional and academic associations to provoke conversations and pioneer solutions for a society where everyone can thrive, regardless of age.

Lily Parsey, Global Policy & Influencing Manager/Work for Tomorrow Program Manager

Lily leads ILC’s policy, public affairs and influencing activity in the UK and across the world. Her work spans all policy areas, from health and care, to intergenerational relations, to vulnerable consumers.

She has a particular interest in the prevention of ill health and has spoken on the topic at a number of conferences, workshops and webinars. Lily has been quoted in the media, including in The Guardian, BBC Radio Scotland, and BBC Radio Oxford among others, and sits on the Advisory Board of the Age Action Alliance. She previously managed the Innovating for Ageing Awards.

Below is the Consultation Paper that identifies the challenge areas that form the basis of the innovation competition. We invite you to read the paper, whether or not you plan to apply to the competition, and to share your comments and feedback.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications

Consultation Paper

Work for tomorrow: Innovating for an ageing workforce

(32 pages)

IRC4HR^® Upcoming Webinars

As part of the innovation competition, ILC will host a Challenge Workshop on June 24th, 2021. Please join us for this interactive session, where we will unpack some of the challenges and opportunities of an aging workforce; how these trends intersect with changes in technology and AI; what we’ve learned from COVID-19; and what the potential for innovation is in this space, to ensure our workplaces and policies are aligned with the changes happening around us.

To compete successfully in the digital age, companies must be able to shape and leverage an increasingly complex network of internal and external stakeholders, which constitutes their “business ecosystem”. Ecosystems help organizations access critical capabilities that would have otherwise been unavailable or difficult to obtain. At the same time, they create opportunities to enter new markets, and to develop products and services that result from different combinations of capabilities, assets, and organizations.

Leading and managing the complex networks that constitute a company’s business ecosystem has become a critical capability to compete successfully in the context of digital transformation dynamics, which are disrupting industries and redefining the way business works in the 21st century. Effective business ecosystem engagement requires a different type of strategic and organizational acumen; one that is based on a dynamic system view that overcomes traditional linear thinking and transcends the egocentric perspectives most companies tend to harbor.

To gain insights into how large organizations deal with this leadership challenge, the Drucker School’s Center for the Future of Organization (CFFO) conducted a global survey among senior executives that focused on understanding the strategic and organizational capabilities it takes to perform successfully within ecosystem networks. The study also explored existing capability gaps to learn what could be done and what is currently being done to close such gaps.

To get input for the design of the survey — and to discuss and interpret the findings — the CFFO convened an executive advisory board and engaged in a series of in-depth conversations with a cross-functional group of academic thought leaders, business leaders, and consultants.

The survey results reported in this paper are complemented by summary descriptions of twelve key issues related to business ecosystem leadership. The twelve summaries map the agenda for business ecosystem leadership and serve as a qualitative context for the quantitative data.

Researcher

Roland Deiser, PhD
Roland is a Senior Drucker Fellow and the Founder of the Center for the Future of Organization (CFFO), an independent think tank at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont University. The CFFO serves as a global hub for applied research and practical discourse on new paradigms of leadership and organization with a special focus on the role of digital technologies as drivers of competitive advantage.

Prior to his engagement with the Drucker School, Roland served for ten years as a Senior Fellow with the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California (USC). He is also the founder and chairman of the Executive Corporate Learning Forum (ECLF), a global network of more than sixty major multinational organizations from fourteen countries that jointly explore how to develop and sustain strategic capabilities in fast-changing environments.

In addition to the CFFO and the ECLF, you can learn more about Roland and his research and publications at his website, https://rolanddeiser.com/.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications and Learning Materials

White Paper

Organizing for Business Ecosystem Leadership
Insights from Expert Conversations and a Global Survey
(40 pages)

IRC4HR^® Upcoming Activities

Roland Deiser and the CFFO are planning to develop a detailed capability framework, an assessment tool, and an ongoing dialogue platform for companies interesting in learning more about the results and insights from this study and to measure and further develop their own business ecosystem leadership capabilities. Sign up using the form at right to be notified of next steps and more from IRC4HR.

About this Project

Socio-Technical Action Research is an interactive inquiry process that balances design thinking and problem-solving actions. The action research is conducted in a collaborative environment with data-driven analysis to inform future predictions about organizational design and change.

The Digital Organization Design STAR (Socio-Technical Action Research) Lab is a highly structured year-long learning and co-creation experience that allows participants and subject matter experts to collectively explore and prototype practical and innovative responses to digital challenges.  In this project, small teams of high-level representatives from leading organizations came together — with expert practitioners and academics in technology and organization design — to create prototypes of future organization and leadership models that could be tested in practice.

The work design of the lab is based on principles of tacit knowledge, and the tools and processes used for problem solving and sense making in the lab are from design thinking approaches. What makes the lab design unique and powerful is the integration of these two areas of practice. Even the lab space — which includes a theater where participants hear report-outs from “cottages” (small groups of colleagues) on their work product — is physically designed to enable high levels of collaborative problem solving and sense making.

The lab is designed as an information processing engine and supports a highly collaborative, iterative, learning, and solution-generating experience. For more about the lab methodology, please see the attached paper, Socio-Technical Action Research Lab: Design Lab Description and Process.

The outputs from this project include a wide array of materials, from methodology and insights to prototypes and tools for addressing the organization and leadership challenges of digital in your own organization. IRC4HR^® is proud to have supported this work and excited to help make these innovative and practical materials available to all practitioners and organizations that can benefit from them.

Researchers and Lab Leaders

The STARLab Alliance is an educational not-for-profit dedicated to advancing our collective knowledge and understanding of the impact of digital technology on organization design. It was born from a desire to help organizations cope with the resulting challenges using an action research approach. STARLab Alliance sponsoring partners and leaders include:

• Sue Mohrman, Center for Effective Organizations, Marshall School of Business, USC
• Bill Pasmore, Center for Creative Leadership
• Rick Vanasse, Spring Network
• Stu Winby, Spring Network
• Chris Worley, Center for Effective Organizations, Marshall School of Business, USC

You can find more information about the STAR Lab Alliance, the project, and opportunities to participate in future STAR Labs here.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications and Tools

Please take time to explore, download, and make use of the materials that emerged from the collaborative STAR Lab experience and that were authored by the Lab researchers/leaders and participating company co-creators.

White Papers

Fast Scaling: A Practitioner’s Guide
Stu Winby (Spring Network); Chris Worley (USC); Sue Mohrman (USC); and Bill Pasmore (CCL)
(14 pages)

Socio-Technical Action Research Lab Description
Stu Winby (Spring Network); Chris Worley (USC); Sue Mohrman (USC); and Bill Pasmore (CCL)
(8 pages)

Digital Socio-Technical Design — STARLab Action Research Workshop
Bill Pasmore (CCL) and Stu Winby (Spring Network)
(53 pages)

Research Papers

Digital Organization Design Challenges: Prototype Solutions and Integration
Chris Worley (USC), Sue Mohrman (USC), Bill Pasmore (CCL), and Stu Winby (Spring Network); and the members of the STARLab Consortium
(19 pages)

Designing from the Future – Building Prototypes for Digitalized Organizations
Sue Mohrman and Chris Worley (University of Southern California); Bill Pasmore (Center for Creative Leadership); and Stu Winby (Spring Network)
(27 pages)

Designing a Digitally Enabled Prototype— a Customer-Centric Design
Sharon Butler (Magellan Health); Caroline Missen (Shell); and Chris Worley (USC)
(9 pages)

Design a Prototype of Digitally Enabled Ecosystem Organization Design
Stacy Conti (Magellan Health); Pankaj Madan (Interglobe); Prateek Sinha (Shell); Kathryn Zarr (BASF); Michael Leckie (Bloomberg); and Sue Mohrman (USC)
(10 pages)

Designing a Digitally Enabled Prototype— Jointly-optimized Social and Technical Work System
Rob de Wit (Shell); Carl Watson (Microsoft); Scott Stussi (BASF); Nitin Sethi (Interglobe); and Bill Pasmore (CCL)
(11 pages)

Designing a Digitally Enabled Prototype—The “Changing Face” of Innovation Design
Will Harper (Free Radicals); Erin Kirchardt (Magellan Health); and Stu Winby (Spring Network)
(9 pages)

Tools

About this Project

As digital technology makes its way into every aspect of business and society, organizations are challenged to transform their operating and business models to stay competitive – or just to survive. Despite the exploding literature on the subject, and the mushrooming of advisory services that promise solutions, questions remain on how to best define digital transformation, how to navigate the digital transformation process, and who should spearhead the transformational efforts. There is broad consensus, however, that successful digital transformation requires a multifaceted systemic effort that fundamentally challenges the managerial routines of the 21st century organization.

This study explores, through deep-dive interviews, how senior executives from functions that are relevant in the digital transformation process perceive the related leadership and organizational challenges (with special emphasis on cross-boundary collaboration).

Researcher

Roland Deiser, PhD
Roland is a Senior Drucker Fellow and the Founder of the Center for the Future of Organization (CFFO), an independent think tank at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont University. The CFFO serves as a global hub for applied research and practical discourse on new paradigms of leadership and organization with a special focus on the role of digital technologies as drivers of competitive advantage.

Prior to his engagement with the Drucker School, Roland served for ten years as a Senior Fellow with the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California (USC). He is also the founder and chairman of the Executive Corporate Learning Forum (ECLF), a global network of more than sixty major multinational organizations from fourteen countries that jointly explore how to develop and sustain strategic capabilities in fast-changing environments.

In addition to the CFFO and the ECLF, you can learn more about Roland and his research and publications at his website, https://rolanddeiser.com/.

IRC4HR^® Project Publication

Digital Transformation Challenges in Large and Complex Organizations
This report outlines nine major, interdependent areas leaders must pay attention to, and provides insights on key elements of the complex transformational journey towards digital maturity.
(28 pages)

IRC4HR^® Upcoming Webinars

We’re planning a future webinar series to share the results and insights from this study; dates to be announced. Sign up using the form at right to be notified of upcoming webinars and more from IRC4HR.

About this Project

As the collaborative intensity of work has exploded and the pace of change has accelerated over the past decade, personal networks have become critical to performance and well-being. More than 20 years of mapping networks and individual (and collective) performance in 300+ organizations has yielded some surprising truths regarding the network strategies of high performers. These strategies — captured in a white paper and a series of personal case studies and learning modules — can be shared and adopted by individuals and organizations interested in building and nurturing successful, high-performing, and personally fulfilling networks at work and beyond.

This IRC4HR-sponsored research is focused on understanding the behaviors of successful people — those in their organizations’ high performance category and scoring higher on measures of career satisfaction, well-being, and engagement. How do these people build, maintain, and leverage personal networks in ways that help them produce innovative solutions, execute work, and thrive in their careers?

Researcher

Rob Cross

For almost twenty years, Rob’s research, teaching, and consulting have focused on applying social network analysis to critical business issues for actionable insights and bottom-line results. He has worked with more than 300 leading organizations (companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations) on a variety of solutions including innovation, organizational change and alignment, talent optimization, and leadership effectiveness.

Below are the white paper and related learning modules that present the findings and insights from the research funded by IRC4HR. To learn more about Rob’s research and his network of practitioners that are co-creating new applications of his methods and tools, please visit his website at https://www.robcross.org/ or the website of the Connected Commons at https://connectedcommons.com/.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications and Learning Materials

White Paper

The Invisible Network Strategies of Successful People
Counterintuitive Ways to Innovate, Execute and Thrive at Work
(23 pages)

Learning Modules

IRC4HR^® Upcoming Webinars

Innovate, Execute, Thrive: Research-Based Network Habits to Transform Your Work and Life

Please join us for a series of three webinars that will further explore how you and your organization can cultivate personal networks that ignite innovation, enhance execution, and help you to thrive at work and beyond.

Thrive At Work
“Reduce Collaborative Overload and Invest in Networks to Clarify Priorities, Improve Productivity, and Enhance Well-Being”
June 29, 2018
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET/16:00 pm – 17:00 pm BST

Produce Innovative Solutions
“Build Purpose, Energy, and Trust to See Opportunities, Solve Problems, and Create Emergent Innovation”
September 11, 2018
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET/16:00 pm – 17:00 pm BST

Execute Work Efficiently
“Design a Network That Builds Agility, Cultivates Influence, and Drives Results”
December 6, 2018
11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET/16:00 pm – 17:00 pm GMT

About this Project

This initiative was launched with a two-day brainstorming event sponsored by IRC4HR^® and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). The meeting brought together eighteen experts from across disciplines to explore how to better leverage technology to help people perform more valuable and meaningful work in a dynamic and unpredictable future.

The goals of the meeting were two-fold: craft a comprehensive vision for the future of work and chart a path for a new organization dedicated to putting the ideas into practice and proving their viability.

Led by Jen Gresham – a scientist, retired military officer, and coach – this “Blue Sky” meeting produced provocative discussion, inspired thinking, and a creative set of potential solutions for developing a human-centered future of work and life.

We invite you to learn more about this initiative by reading the report from the meeting (Work for Humanity – Blue Sky Meeting Results) and to contribute your own ideas and feedback by contacting Jen (jen@workforhumanity.com) or IRC4HR (info@irc4hr.org).

You can also be updated about this and other research and initiatives funded and supported by IRC4HR by sharing your contact information in the “Stay in the Loop” form on this page.

Initiative Leader

Jen Gresham, Scientist, Coach, and Optimist

Jen Gresham has helped hundreds of people around the world find greater fulfillment and financial success as a high performance coach and business strategist.

Prior to her coaching, Jen spent 16 years in the US Air Force as a scientist and an officer. She is the former Assistant Chief Scientist of the Human Performance Wing for the Air Force Research Laboratory. With a mission to expand ordinary human performance into the extraordinary, she helped lead a $100M research portfolio spanning the fields of biology, psychology, and technology. Prior to that, she served in a number of other roles across various Air Force programs.

Jen is a graduate of the US Air Force Academy and received her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Maryland. She was awarded the Air Force Research and Development Scientist of the Year in 2008 and is the author of several publications on human performance augmentation.

IRC4HR^® Project Publications

Work for Humanity – Blue Sky Meeting Results
Developing a Common Vision for the Future of Work
(31 pages)

If you are interested in playing a role in Work for Humanity or would like to make us aware of your current efforts in this space as part of our systems approach, please reach out to the author, Jen Gresham (jen@workforhumanity.com), or to info@irc4hr.org.

About this Project

Inclusion by Design is a conference (October 28-29, 2019 in NYC) hosted and curated by amazing.community, a non-profit organization whose mission is to expand the work horizon for women over fifty. Inclusion by Design will provide a platform for women 50+, business leaders, and anyone else who is passionate about inclusive workplaces to meet, learn new skills, form relationships, and brainstorm strategies and solutions for collaboratively building an inclusive future of work.

Day 1 of the conference includes capability-building sessions to increase your confidence, develop your brand, and learn how to design and build tools to inspire an inclusive and accessible workplace. Day 2 features thought-leaders and experts in technology, longevity, media, and education who will be exploring how women 50+ can claim their place in the future of work. Both days also include opportunities for networking and experiential learning in a space generously provided by PwC at 300 Madison Avenue, NYC.

• Raise Awareness – Understand the urgency of taking actions to support women 50+ in returning and staying in the workforce
• Co-Create – Learn about practical steps you can take in your organization, community, and personal life
• Build Capabilities – Develop new skills via hands-on experience

IRC4HR^® is pleased to be a sponsor of this important program.

Conference Leadership

Stela Lupushor, Founder and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of amazing.community

Stela founded amazing.community to address a growing barrier that older women are facing in joining or rejoining the workforce; their experience and wisdom are not as valued as others in the job market. Stela’s mission in establishing amazing.community is to prepare older women for the modern workplace and expand their work horizon.

Stela is also the founder of Reframe.Work Inc., a consulting firm advising organizations on workplace inclusion in order to bring resiliency and access to talent in an environment disrupted by demographic shifts, technology, value chain disintermediation, and human behavior evolution. Previously she led the analytics function and worked in a variety of management consulting roles at several Fortune 100 companies. She is a sought-after speaker on the topics of People Analytics and the Future of Work and holds a diploma in Mathematics and Computer Science from Universitatea de Stat din Moldova.

Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director of amazing.community

Leslie has a long history in nonprofit administration in mental health, arts, and healthcare and voluntarism for urban high school students. She has a small private psychotherapy practice and has recently been lecturing and writing on Women, Aging and Body Image.

About this Project

This research will measure the impact of job description language on respondents’ interests in a job with a goal of helping hiring organizations and recruiting software vendors to improve the underrepresentation of minorities in applicant pools. For example, previous research has stated that language emphasizing stereotypically ‘masculine’ attributes reduces women’s interest in internships and jobs. The magnitude and nature of the impact of job description language on the interest of people of color in professional opportunities remains an open question and will be explored.

Results are expected early in 2020. Please come back to see them or add your contact information to the “Stay in the Loop” form on this page and we will let you know when they are available.

Researcher

Maryam Jahanshahi, PhD, Scientist

Maryam is a Research Scientist at TapRecruit. Maryam has more than 10 years’ experience in experimental design and statistical analysis and has developed expertise in applied social and organizational psychology as well as data science, computational linguistics, and machine learning. Her research program integrates these different approaches to generate a holistic view of how language and behaviors affect decision-making at multiple stages of the hiring process. Maryam has been invited to speak about the impact of heuristics in recruiting at various conferences on data science and business.

Maryam received her Ph.D. from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai (NYC) and her B.A. and B.Sc. degrees from the University of Melbourne in Australia. She is a member of academic bodies that advance behavioral research (American Psychological Association, Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues). She is also active in organizations that promote women in technology (Women in Machine Learning and Data Science, Women who Code, Women in Analytics, R-Ladies, Py-Ladies).