By Pedro César Martínez Morán and Simon L. Dolan

The graph of happiness against age is traditionally shown as U-shaped, with the index of happiness dipping in the middle-age years. But could the curve have surreptitiously changed shape in the age of the pernicious “S”s: smartphones, screens, and social media? And, if so, what can be done about it?

Happiness has always been the subject of analysis. What potion is hidden behind it? What are its main ingredients? There is a noble interest among human beings in understanding what it consists of and, more specifically, what factors explain this emotional state and, therefore, how it is achieved. A derived analysis from this is whether it is a final goal or if, once achieved, it can be maintained over time. It poses a challenge if it appears and disappears, or even more difficult to manage if it could be achieved, receding, returning, and so on.

There is a factor that has been used as an independent variable in the matter: age. The relationship between age and subjective well-being has sparked enormous interest in psychology and social sciences in recent decades. It seems that human beings do not experience happiness or distress uniformly throughout life. There are patterns that tend to repeat according to age and life stages; achieving it, retreating, returning, and so on.

The best-known of these patterns is the “U-shaped curve of happiness”, according to which well-being is high in youth, decreases in middle age, and rises again in old age. Its statistical counterpart is the so-called “curve of unhappiness”, which is hill-shaped, indicating that life dissatisfaction peaks around the ages of 47-49.

This classical approach has served to interpret what is popularly referred to as the “midlife crisis”, a moment when youthful expectations clash with existential reality, generating disenchantment and reconfigurations of purpose. In fact, this has led to the popularization and vulgarization of the so-called crises of the ages of 40, 50, etc.

However, recent studies have called into question the stability of this pattern. The data today points to a much more concerning phenomenon. Unhappiness no longer waits until middle age to make itself felt; rather, it appears forcefully from youth and tends to soften as one ages.

The aim of this reflection is to integrate classical findings with recent transformations, to add to the debate the role of the “happiness industry”, a framework of discourses, practices, and products that market the promise of well-being, and ultimately to highlight the important value of resilience as a valid and necessary capacity for adapting to mitigate the factors that penalize happiness.

The classic evidence: the “U” of happiness and the peak of unhappiness

For decades, various studies have shown that happiness, statistically explained, follows a U-shaped curve. This means that people tend to feel quite satisfied in their youth, approximately between the ages of 18 to 30, go through a notable decline in well-being during middle age, roughly from 35 to 55 years old, and then experience a significant recovery after the age of 55.

On the other hand, indicators of distress (stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety, sleep problems) have shown a peak-shaped pattern around 47-49 years of age. This critical point is linked to the time in life when family, work, and social pressures become more intense, such as having teenage children, caring for older family members, established but not always satisfying professional careers, and confronting unfulfilled dreams.

Nevertheless, scientific literature emphasizes that this peak of unhappiness is transitory. Most people, after going through middle age, recover their levels of satisfaction. In old age, external pressures usually decrease, the ability to appreciate what has already been achieved increases, and a sense of vital serenity solidifies.

Recent transformations: the collapse of the hump of unhappiness

However, the outlook has begun to change dramatically. A recent study labelled “The declining mental health of the young and the global disappearance of the unhappiness hump shape in age” shows that the famous midlife unhappiness hump has practically disappeared. The new pattern is based on the fact that levels of unhappiness are already very high among the youth and, instead of worsening in middle age, well-being tends to even improve with the years, and older generations today report greater well-being than the young.

The main hypothesis that would explain this shift points to an accelerated deterioration of youth mental health in the last two decades. Among the most cited causes are persistent economic crises, such as the Great Recession of 2008, which left deep scars on young people entering the labor market with few opportunities and prospects; a deficit in access to mental health services (overloaded public systems, delays in diagnoses, and lack of preventive resources); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified anxiety, feelings of uncertainty, and hopelessness; and the intensive use of smartphones and social media, whose causal relationship with youth psychological distress is increasingly documented. Continuous exposure to social com–parisons, approval dynamics, and unrealistic content fuels distorted expectations and feelings of inadequacy that affect self-esteem.

The result is that today it is the young people who are the unhappiest, contradicting Rubén Darío and his famous “youth, divine treasure, you are already leaving and will not return”.²

Nuances and debates surrounding the curve

Although the evidence of the U-shaped curve of happiness has been solid in statistical terms, it is not universal. Its form varies according to income and economic contexts, gender and experiences of discrimination, physical health, and cultural expectations.

Some cohorts even show sustained increases in happiness from youth to middle age. Neurobiology supports these differences: while young people seek pleasure and intensity, adults tend to value stress reduction, and in old age, serenity is prioritized.

In other words, the happiness curve, which in simple terms can be described as a visual representation of how happiness varies throughout our lives, suggests that it tends to be high in youth, may drop in middle age, and eventually increases again as we get older. Mind you, it is a concept that has sparked a lot of debates and nuances, and that’s great because it gives us the opportunity to better understand what we feel and how we live.

As individuals mature, they develop a greater appreciation for what truly matters: meaningful relationships, rewarding experiences, and a sense of purpose.

First, it is important to recognize that this curve is not a universal rule. Some people may find that their happiness increases as they move past adolescence and enter adulthood. Others, however, may experience challenges that affect their well-being at different times in their lives. This is where nuances come in; our experiences, personalities, and environments greatly influence how we feel happiness.

Additionally, another interesting debate revolves around the nature of happiness itself. Is it simply an emotional state or is there a deeper component related to life satisfaction? Some research suggests that, as individuals mature, they develop a greater appreciation for what truly matters: meaningful relationships, rewarding experiences, and a sense of purpose. This approach can make people feel happier, even if life circumstances are not ideal.³

In fact, empowering ourselves with this perspective encourages us to seek happiness in places that we might have overlooked before. And that’s really exciting! Each of us has the power to find or create those moments of joy, even in phases of life that are traditionally considered difficult.

And let’s not forget the importance of community. Social interactions and support from friends and family are crucial. In this sense, the happiness curve gives us an opportunity to reaffirm the need to be connected. While our paths may differ, the act of sharing our experiences and emotions can be incredibly valuable and transformative.

In conclusion, the nuances and debates surrounding the happiness curve show us that happiness is not a straight line. It is a journey full of twists and nuances, in which each of us contributes their own experience. So, celebrate your moments of happiness, and remember that, no matter where you are on that curve, there is always room to grow and find joy. We are in this together, so let’s keep exploring what makes us happy!

Positive psychology and the PERMA model: from deficit to the construction of well-being

Positive psychology proposes a fundamental shift. It is about not analyzing well-being only from the absence of distress, but from the conscious construction of conditions that promote it. Martin Seligman, one of the key figures, synthesizes well-being in the PERMA model.⁴ In very brief terms, it means this:

• P (Positive Emotions): cultivating positive emotions such as gratitude, hope, and joy.
• E (Engagement): to experience states of “flow” or full immersion in meaningful activities.
• R (Relationships): maintaining strong relationships of trust, support, and affection.
• M (Meaning): finding vital meaning and feeling part of something greater than oneself.
• A (Accomplishment): pursuing goals and developing achievements that generate pride, meaningfulness, and satisfaction.

This approach seeks to counteract the growing unhappiness in youth with practical tools of gratitude, mindfulness, purposeful activities, and quality social connections, circumstances that would lead to a fulfilling life.

Waldinger and the science of relationships

Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, provides a finding that spans generations: the best predictor of long-term well-being and health is not economic achievements or extraordinary travels, but the quality of everyday relationships.

After more than eight decades of following hundreds of people, Waldinger and Schultz conclude that those who had solid relationships, capable of sustaining empathy, gratitude, and conflict resolution, aged with better physical and emotional health, and reported higher levels of life satisfaction.⁵

The happiness industry: promises, contradictions, and risks

The so-called “happiness industry” encompasses everything from mindfulness applications, motivational coaching courses, self-help literature, and alternative therapies to large corporations that promote “corporate wellness” programs. It is a multibillion-dollar market that turns the quest for meaning and happiness into a consumer product.⁶

This industry is based on three pieces of logic: the individualization of discomfort, through which the idea is conveyed that unhappiness is always a personal responsibility, making invisible structural social determinants such as inequality, job precariousness, urban loneliness, or vital insecurity; the standardization of happiness, which is disseminated as a normative model of well-being, associated with always being productive and positive, ultimately generating additional pressure and feelings of failure for those who do not conform to these frameworks; and finally, consumption as a solution, because it reinforces the notion that happiness can be acquired by purchasing a course, an app, a spiritual retreat, or even a material object that promises to transform one’s life.

Resilience: the silent strength of well-being

Resilience is understood as the ability to adapt positively to adversity, learn from difficult experiences, and emerge strengthened. Within the framework of Simon Dolan’s contributions, this concept takes on a central role in the construction of sustained emotional well-being.⁷

Dolan argues that the balance between the three major axes of values—Economic-pragmatic, Ethical-social, and Emotional-developmental—is key to generating well-being both individually and organizationally. In this sense, resilience acts as a moderating factor that helps maintain that balance in the face of pressure, uncertainty, or crises.⁸

When a resilient person goes through a difficulty:

• They reinterpret the experience from a framework of meaningful values (connection with meaning and purpose).
• They mobilize emotional resources (optimism, self-confidence, emotional regulation) that cushion the impact of stress.
• They strengthen social relationships, a key aspect that Dolan identifies as essential for emotional health and team cohesion.
• They learn and transform adversity into opportunity, aligning achievements (pragmatic values) with personal growth (emotional values) and ethical commitment to others.

In this way, resilience not only protects well-being but also expands the possibilities for emotional flourishing. Following Dolan’s line of thought, it becomes a practical value that enhances the capacity for positive leadership, change management, and the building of more humane organizational cultures.

Conclusion

The change in the unhappiness curve has profound consequences. In public policies, it is urgent to invest in accessible, preventive, and inclusive mental health, especially aimed at the youth. In education, resilience programs, emotional literacy, and a sense of purpose are needed from school stages. In everyday life, it is important to take a critical distance from the happiness industry, prioritize meaningful relationships, encourage spaces for digital rest, and cultivate practices of gratitude and authentic purpose.

The traditional U-shaped curve of happiness and the peak of unhappiness represented an optimistic narrative for years. Although one would go through a valley of disenchantment in middle age, recovery would come sooner or later. But contemporary reality breaks that logic; distress hits younger people harder, while well-being seems to increase with the passage of years.

This change poses a challenge for society, such as ensuring that new generations have the emotional, social, and economic resources they need to navigate life meaningfully. In the face of the temptation to rely solely on quick fixes from the happiness industry, it is crucial to reclaim a holistic vision of well-being through a daily practice of connection, gratitude, purpose, and collective care.

Happiness, more than a destination promised by emotional marketing, is a cultivable process that is built in the fabric of relationships, in the acceptance of ordinary life, and in the pursuit of shared meaning.

About the Authors

Pedro César Martínez Morán is a prominent professor and director in the field of human resource management and talent. With a career spanning over 30 years in the human resources consulting sector, he has served as the director of the Master’s in Human Resources at the Pontifical University of Comillas and the Master’s in Talent Management at Advantere School of Management. His research focuses on talent management and leadership, and he has published numerous articles in high-impact scientific journals. Martínez Morán has also collaborated with research teams in Talent Management and Leadership, significantly contributing to the development of the discipline in his area of expertise.

Simon L. Dolan is a prominent academic and university professor, known for his work in human resources and work psychology. He has been a full professor at ESADE Business School and at Montreal and McGill Universities in Canada. Additionally, he is the founder and president of the Global Future of Work Foundation and has been nominated for several research awards; he has recently received an honorary doctorate from the University of Huelva. He has written more than 88 books and hundreds of scientific articles. His focus on values, stress, and resilience in the workplace has influenced thousands of HR managers and other leaders over the years. Recently he is also focusing on the theme of building trust at work. www.learningaboutvalues.com

References

1. Members of the Board of the “Global Future of Work Foundation” (www.globalfutureofwork.com)

2. Famous poem in Spanish by Rubén Darío https://elbuenlibrero.com/juventud-divino-tesoro/

3. Dolan S.L., “Values and enduring happiness” https://simondolan.com/values-and-enduring-happiness

4. Seligman, Martin E. P. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. New York: Free Press, 2011.

5. For more information on the studies of Waldinger and Schulz,
see: Waldinger, Robert J., & Schulz, Marc. (2023). The Good

6. Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

7. To read more see: Simon L. Dolan (2024) “The concept of enduring happiness as a panacea to work/life goals”, The European Business Review, May 17.

8. Dolan, S. L. (2023). DE-Stress at Work, Routledge.

9. To read more, see: Garti, Anat, Dolan, Simon L. (2021). “Using the Triaxial Model of Values to Build Resilience in a COVID-19 VUCA World.” The European Business Review. August.

The post The Collapse of Unhappiness in Middle Age: New Evidence and Challenges for Well-being appeared first on The European Business Review.

By Dr. Simon L. Dolan

The well-being of employees is a critical component of organizational success. The multifaceted challenges that hinder mental health and risk prevention in the workplace call for urgent proactive measures. Here, Simon Dolan of the Global Future of Work Foundation shares some practical solutions that empower employees and promote resilience.

Challenge 1: Resolving the paradox of better working conditions and the rise of mental health issues

Navigating the paradox of our time, we find ourselves in an intriguing situation: while general quality of life is advancing at an astonishing pace, mental health episodes seem to be on the rise. This juxtaposition may initially feel perplexing, yet it presents an opportunity for us to reflect, adapt, and ultimately thrive in our ever-evolving world.

On one hand, we’ve witnessed remarkable progress in technology, healthcare, and overall socioeconomic conditions. Access to information and resources has expanded, leading to improved living standards for many individuals and communities. From advances in medical care to increased socioeconomic mobility, the benefits are evident. Yet, amidst these advancements, we are also confronting a troubling rise in mental health concerns that merits our attention and understanding.

So, why is this happening? One fundamental aspect to consider is the rapid pace of change itself. We live in a world that is constantly shifting—socially, technologically, and culturally. This whirlwind of change can create feelings of uncertainty and overwhelm. While we embrace innovation, we may also experience a sense of disconnection, leading to anxiety and stress.

The modern work environment can be relentless, marked by increasing demands, rapid technological changes, and a culture that often glorifies overwork.

In recent years, the troubling rise in stress, burnout, and a spectrum of psychosomatic ailments—including, regrettably, suicides—has reached alarming levels, particularly in specific sectors and professions. According to the World Health Organization, burnout is officially classified as an occupational phenomenon, highlighting its significant impact on workers’ health and well-being (WHO, 2019)¹. The statistics underscore an undeniable reality: we are facing what can only be described as an epidemic of mental health issues in the workplace.

The modern work environment can be relentless, marked by increasing demands, rapid technological changes, and a culture that often glorifies overwork. Industries such as healthcare, education, law, and technology are particularly affected, where employees grapple with high-pressure responsibilities and inadequate resources to manage their workloads. A report by Gallup reveals that nearly 76 percent of employees experience burnout at some point in their careers (Gallup, 2020)². This situation is not merely an isolated phenomenon; it resonates across demographics, impacting individuals’ mental, emotional, and physical health.

Numerous studies have highlighted higher suicide rates in certain professions, prompting the need for targeted support and intervention. For instance, the construction industry has been frequently cited as having a particularly high suicide rate. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workers in construction and extraction occupations had a suicide rate of 53.3 per 100,000 people, which is significantly higher than the national average of around 14.5 per 100,000 in 2019. This statistic underscores the intense pressures and hazards associated with these roles (CDC, 2021)³.

Similarly, first responders, including firefighters and police officers, often face overwhelming stress due to the nature of their work. A comprehensive study by the Ruderman Family Foundation found that more than 400 police officers and firefighters took their own lives in the U.S. in 2017, which is more than the number of line-of-duty deaths for those years combined.⁴ The emotional toll of witnessing trauma and the stigma surrounding mental health can exacerbate the challenges they face.⁵

Healthcare professionals, particularly those in high-stress environments like emergency rooms or long-term care facilities, also have elevated suicide rates. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2020 highlighted that physicians experience a suicide rate that is about 1.4 times that of the general population, with female physicians particularly vulnerable. This calls for robust mental health resources tailored specifically for those who care for others.

Additionally, agricultural workers experience significant challenges, with a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicating that farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in the country, partly driven by the stress of economic uncertainties, isolation, and the demanding nature of their work.⁶

Moreover, the very tools that enhance our lives often contribute to a culture of comparison. Social media, for example, allows us to connect and engage, yet it can also foster unrealistic expectations and feelings of inadequacy. As we become more aware of the joys and successes of others, we might inadvertently diminish our own sense of worth and fulfillment.

However, it’s crucial to recognize that this paradox also opens doors for growth and understanding. Awareness of mental health is at an all-time high, leading to more conversations about well-being than ever before. This shift empowers individuals to seek help, share their experiences, and support one another on their journeys. It’s encouraging to see that workplaces, schools, and communities are increasingly prioritizing mental health resources, advocating for balance, and fostering environments that promote emotional well-being.

In essence, while the challenges we face are real, they also compel us to gather our collective strength. We can harness this momentum to build a future where mental health is prioritized alongside physical health and quality of life. By taking proactive steps to cultivate resilience, practice self-care, and engage in supportive conversations, we can navigate this complex landscape together.

Challenge 2: Solving the mystery of acute mental disorders vs chronic hidden mental ailments

In a world increasingly aware of mental health, it’s crucial for us to delve deeper into understanding the intricacies of mental disorders. Our journey begins with two distinct yet overlapping categories: acute mental disorders and chronic hidden mental ailments. By clarifying these terms, we can advocate for better support systems, increased awareness, and proactive treatments and prevention.

Acute Mental Disorders

The Unforeseen Outbreaks – Acute mental disorders often present themselves suddenly and can have a dramatic impact on an individual’s daily functioning. Conditions such as severe anxiety, panic attacks, or depressive episodes can surface abruptly, leaving individuals feeling overwhelmed and disoriented. While the episodes may be short-lived, the intensity of these disorders calls for immediate attention and intervention.

Encouragement is key here. Those experiencing acute mental disorders should remember that seeking help is a courageous and crucial step. There’s an abundance of resources available—therapists, support groups, and helplines—to assist during these tumultuous times. It’s essential to reach out, as acute episodes can serve as a critical signal that something deeper may need to be addressed.

Chronic Hidden Mental Ailments

The Silent Struggles – On the other hand, chronic hidden mental ailments often lurk beneath the surface, going unnoticed for months or even years. These disorders, such as generalized anxiety, chronic depression, or personality disorders, may not present prominent symptoms but can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life. Victims of chronic mental health issues often excel in masking their struggles, leading to isolation and a reluctance to seek help.

Victims of chronic mental health issues often excel in masking their struggles, leading to isolation and a reluctance to seek help.

But here’s the encouraging part: acknowledging these silent battles is the first step toward healing. Those who suffer from these hidden ailments should feel empowered to seek support. This encourages a culture of open dialogue, where individuals can share experiences and remind one another that they are not alone in their struggles. Remember, vulnerability is a strength.

Bridging the Gap

Seeking Help is Vital – The real power lies in bridging the understanding between acute and chronic disorders. Professionals in mental health must encourage individuals to recognize the signs, whether sudden or gradual. Psychological education and proactive treatment are critical steps in combatting the stigma often associated with mental health.

Moreover, the workplace should be a champion for this dialogue. Employers can create mental health initiatives that address both acute and chronic disorders, fostering an environment of understanding and support. By utilizing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), workshops, and mental health days, organizations can significantly contribute to the well-being of their employees.

Challenge 3: Improving the diagnostic tools for measuring chronic stress

Identifying the signs and symptoms of an acute stress situation is a clear and manageable process. While the accuracy of diagnosis does rely on the training and experience of the mental health professional, it’s important to recognize that both diagnosis and intervention have been integral parts of the corporate landscape for many years. Over time, a wealth of evidence-based studies has emerged, demonstrating a consistent progression in our understanding of these issues. This rich body of research not only highlights the clarity we’ve gained but also underscores the effectiveness of proactive measures. With the right support and knowledge, we can navigate these challenges together, fostering a healthier work environment for everyone.

The true challenge lies in the creation of valid and reliable tools that can accurately diagnose chronic stress and promote proactive risk management. By intervening early, we can prevent mental health issues from escalating to severe levels or manifesting as physical health problems. Unfortunately, rigorous diagnostic tools supported by research are largely absent in our field.

Over the past 50 years, dating back to my initial collaboration with Hans Selye in the late 1970s, our dedicated team has conducted extensive studies across hundreds of organizations and various sectors worldwide.⁷ We are proud to have published our findings in many peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights to the realm of stress management. Most importantly, we have developed a powerful diagnostic tool known as The Stress Map, accompanied by a user-friendly digital interactive platform at www.Stress2Resilience.com.⁸ 

This journey represents not just a collective effort, but a beacon of hope for organizations. Together, we can implement effective strategies that not only identify stressors but also foster resilience, ensuring healthier and more productive workplaces. We hope that we can embrace this opportunity to make a lasting impact on mental well-being!

Exhibit 1: Tools for diagnosing chronic stress 

Our innovative tools are designed to accurately detect the key indicators of stress—what we refer to as “stress density”—by examining the signs and symptoms that individuals experience over the course of the past four months. Not only do these tools help identify potential stressors in both workplace and family environments, but they also highlight various well-researched individual factors that can either amplify or mitigate stress effects.

Incorporating elements of gamification, these tools work to dismantle the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses, making the process feel engaging rather than daunting. The online platform generates comprehensive assessments and integrates elements of artificial intelligence, empowering individuals to gain a deeper awareness of their stress levels and the importance of proactive prevention before challenges become overwhelming.

The real beauty of our tool lies in its ability to be utilized on a larger scale, providing valuable benchmarks that allow organizations to pinpoint specific segments where support is urgently needed. By focusing on these areas, we can collectively make a significant impact on the well-being of employees who are currently struggling.

Challenge 4: Combatting mental health only at work is not sufficient

Recent research suggests that solely addressing stress and mental health issues within the workplace is no longer sufficient. In fact, studies indicate that nearly 70 percent of working individuals experience a spillover effect, where life outside of work significantly impacts their mental well-being. It’s crucial that we recognize this connection and examine both workplace and personal factors together.

Additionally, the ongoing struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance can itself become a significant source of stress. By broadening our perspective and extending our focus beyond the confines of the workplace, we can engage in more comprehensive diagnostic practices and interventions. This is a call for a holistic approach to mental health that encompasses all aspects of our lives. This is not only essential for individual well-being but will foster a healthier, more productive workforce.

In other words, research indicates that the spillover effect occurs when experiences in one domain (work or life) influence outcomes in the other. For example, a study published in the Academy of Management Review which summarized multiple studies, propose that positive experiences at work can bolster personal relationships, while negative experiences can lead to increased stress and dissatisfaction in one’s private life (Greenhaus & Powell, 2006)⁹. Specifically, individuals who reported high levels of job satisfaction also tended to experience better emotional health and stronger personal relationships. Conversely, those facing work-related stress often carried that burden home, leading to heightened anxiety and emotional fallout in their personal lives.

Those facing work-related stress often carried that burden home, leading to heightened anxiety and emotional fallout in their personal lives.

The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that 61 percent of employees cite work-related stress as a significant contributing factor to their mental health struggles. This stress doesn’t just stay at the office—carrying it home can negatively impact relationships with family and friends, leading to a cycle of stress and dissatisfaction.

A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology revealed that employees who engage in work-home segmentation—effectively separating their personal and work lives—report a 24 percent higher level of life satisfaction and a 38 percent reduction in feelings of burnout compared to those who experience high levels of spillover (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2007)¹⁰. This highlights the importance of boundaries and the positive implications of effective work-life balance.

Furthermore, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), individuals experiencing chronic work stress are two to three times more likely to develop mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. The impact on personal life is significant, often resulting in diminished quality of life, strained relationships, and increased overall dissatisfaction.

Challenge 5: Potential risks to mental health associated with the growing wave of artificial intelligence (AI) applications

While AI presents a multitude of benefits, particularly in providing mental health support tools, it is essential that we also address the potential downsides associated with its use. Here are some key risks that we must consider:

Social Isolation and Reduced Human Interaction

As our reliance on AI—such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and AI companions—increases, we may inadvertently lessen our opportunities for meaningful human connections. This trend is particularly concerning for young people and vulnerable individuals who may struggle with loneliness.

Job Displacement Anxiety

The prospect of job losses due to automation and AI can create significant economic insecurity, leading to heightened feelings of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty about the future. It’s vital that we acknowledge these feelings and strive to find solutions that foster job security.

Algorithmic Bias and Harmful Content

AI-driven content, particularly in areas like social media recommendation systems, can amplify harmful messages, misinformation, and toxic comparisons. The consequences can be alarming, leading to the propagation of fake news and promoting unhealthy behaviors, ultimately triggering anxiety and depression.

Overreliance on AI for Mental Health Care

While AI therapy bots and diagnostic tools have the potential to aid, they can also oversimplify complex psychological issues or overlook critical warning signs. This situation can result in inadequate care and provide a misleading sense of support.

Stress Due to Invasion of Privacy

The need for extensive data collection by AI—gathered from health apps and online activities—can generate significant stress for individuals concerned about their privacy.

Addictive Design

The use of AI to enhance engagement on various platforms can often come at the expense of mental well-being, contributing to increased screen time, fragmented attention, and sleep disorders.

Given these risks, the pressing question is: What can we do to mitigate them? Fortunately, the solutions are clear and actionable. We can advocate for greater regulation surrounding the use of AI, particularly in sensitive areas like health and education. Promoting transparency in data usage, educating the public about healthy digital habits, and ensuring that trained professionals are involved in AI processes are crucial steps we can take.

Summary and conclusions

We recognize that there are many additional challenges that merit discussion, but time and space does not permit us to elaborate. Thus, in table 1, we provide a concise summary of these challenges, along with innovative solutions that we have brainstormed. Our hope is that these insights will be valuable tools for mental health professionals in their vital work.

In conclusion, prioritizing mental health and risk prevention not only fosters a supportive workplace culture but also drives overall organizational success. By investing in the well-being of employees, companies can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism, and cultivate a more engaged workforce. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to contribute positively to the organization’s goals. As we embrace proactive mental health initiatives and risk management strategies, we create an environment where individuals can thrive both personally and professionally. It is worthwhile to identify champions of mental health in the organization that are willing to go beyond the legal requirements. They can spread awareness and prevention, paving the way for a healthier, happier, and more successful workplace for all.

About the Author

Dr. Simon L. Dolan was a distinguished Senior Research Professor and Director of Programs at Advantere School of Management, in partnership with prestigious institutions like Comillas, Deusto, and Georgetown Universities. As President of the Global Future of Work Foundation and former Chair of the Future of Work at ESADE Business School, he is at the forefront of shaping modern management practices.

Dr. Dolan has an impressive global teaching background, having taught at elite business schools such as Boston University, McGill University, and ESSEC. His prolific output includes over 88 books and more than 150 peer-reviewed articles, showcasing his dedication to advancing knowledge in his field. Honored with a Doctorate Honoris Causa from Huelva University (2024) and the Golden Medal from the Spanish Association of Health and Safety at Work (2025), Dr. Dolan is a thought leader whose innovations, such as The Stress Map and the digital tool www.stress2resilience.com, are making a significant impact in organizational well-being. Explore more about his remarkable journey and contributions at www.simondolan.com or www.learningaboutvalues.com.

References:

1. World Health Organization. (2019). “Burn-out an occupational phenomenon: International Classification of Diseases”.

2. Gallup. (2020). “State of the Global Workplace: 2020 Report”.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). “Suicide Rates by Occupational Group — United States, 2016–2017”.

4. Ruderman Family Foundation. (2018). “The Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders”.

5. JAMA Network. (2020). “Suicide Among Physicians: A Threat to Public Health”.
– National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

6. “Agricultural Safety and Health.” 2018

7. Dolan S.L., Arsenault A., (Préface pour Hans Selye) (1980) “Stress, Santé et Travail”. Monographie #5 (Presses de l’Université de Montréal).

8. For more read: Dolan S.L. (2007) Stress, Self-Esteem, Health and Work (Springer); Simon L. Dolan (2023) De-Stress at Work Understanding and Combatting Chronic Stress (Taylor and Francis Group).

9. Greenhaus, J. H., & Powell, G. N. (2006). “When work and family are allies: A theory of work-family enrichment”. The Academy of Management Review, 31(1), 72–92.

10. Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2007). “The Recovery Experience Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Measure for Assessing Recuperation and Unwinding from Work”. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12, 204-21.

The post Well-Being at Work Challenges and Solutions for Mental Health and Risk appeared first on The European Business Review.

By Dr. Anat Garti and Dr. Simon L. Dolan

In a world wired for stress, success takes more than strategy. This article shows how to build real resilience and combat burnout in high-demand workplaces so teams don’t just survive; they lead and thrive.

Introduction

In a world that is ever-changing and fraught with unpredictability, the strength of an organization lies not just in its resources but in its spirit. “Cultivating Endurance: Empowering Your Organization for a Resilient Future” speaks to the heart of what resilience truly means—an unwavering commitment to rise stronger, to adapt, and to flourish despite the challenges that lie ahead.

This title encapsulates the essence of transformation, emphasizing the nurturing process of building resilience as a continuous journey rather than a one-time initiative. It resonates on an emotional level, inspiring leaders and teams alike to embrace the challenges of today as stepping stones toward a more promising tomorrow. In this article, we embark on a path that not only fortifies the foundations of an organization but also ignites a profound sense of purpose and connection within it.

Resilience stands as a vital pillar in ensuring the stability and effectiveness of organizations, acting as a beacon of hope in turbulent times. Across various industries, professionals grapple with the weight of high-pressure situations, the emotional turmoil that often accompanies demanding roles, and the relentless flux of ever-changing work environments. These stressors, if left unaddressed, can spiral into the dark abyss of burnout, robbing individuals of their passion and diminishing their sense of purpose. The result? A profound sense of discontent that permeates job satisfaction and stifles overall performance, leaving once vibrant and engaged employees feeling drained and disconnected. In recognizing and fostering resilience, we not only protect the health and well-being of our workforce but also empower organizations to thrive amidst uncertainty, allowing their spirits to soar even higher.

In recognizing and fostering resilience, we not only protect the health and well-being of our workforce but also empower organizations to thrive amidst uncertainty, allowing their spirits to soar even higher.

In 2019, the World Health Organization announced its decision to include burnout for the first time in history in the official International Classification of Diseases. According to the World Health Organization’s Disease Index (ICD-11), Occupational Burnout is a syndrome resulting from persistent, unsuccessfully managed work stress. Consequently, developing resilience within organizations is essential to ensure the well-being of employees and the sustainability of operations. This article unveils a transformative process for cultivating resilience that can benefit any organization, illustrating its powerful application within a healthcare company. Through this journey, we reveal not just a framework but a beacon of hope for organizations by sharing the experiences of a healthcare team embracing resilience, and we aim to inspire others to embark on their own paths of growth and fortitude, ensuring that together, we can weather any storm.

Resilience is the human capacity to cope with, overcome, grow stronger, and even change in response to experiences in times of adversity.¹ This concept can be applied to individuals, families, organizations, and communities. Resilience encompasses the ability to avoid dangers and the ability to cope with them when they occur. The article explains stress mechanisms, burnout symptoms, and its impact. Then, we introduce the Stress Regulation Model. We will also introduce the consulting process for developing organizational resilience using the Stress Map and the Value of Values tools.

Understanding Stress and Burnout

Stress is a natural response to external demands and pressures, activating physiological and psychological mechanisms designed to help individuals cope with challenges. According to the Transactional Model of Stress,² it arises when individuals perceive a situation as threatening and believe they lack the resources to manage it. This model highlights the role of perception in determining whether stress is experienced as a manageable challenge or an overwhelming burden. While short-term stress can enhance focus and performance, chronic stress that is not effectively managed can lead to burnout—a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion.³

In the classical sense, and based on the research of Maslach and colleagues, burnout includes the following three dimensions.⁴

• Emotional Exhaustion – A state of deep fatigue and depletion of emotional resources.
• Depersonalization – Developing negative, detached, or cynical attitudes toward work and colleagues.
• Reduced Personal Accomplishment – A diminished sense of competence and achievement in one’s professional role.

Across numerous industries, high-demand organizations are grappling with a pervasive crisis: the relentless grip of stress and burnout. In a world where the pressure mounts from demanding workloads, tight deadlines, and soaring expectations, employees often find themselves caught in an unyielding cycle of exhaustion. This isn’t just a professional issue; it’s a deeply human one. Each day, talented individuals strive to meet the demands placed upon them, yet they are left feeling drained and overwhelmed, struggling to nurture their well-being while still delivering exceptional results. Imagine the toll this takes—not just on performance metrics but on the very essence of what it means to be a thriving workforce. When stress remains unaddressed, the vibrant spirit of engagement begins to wane. Performance plateaus and the high turnover rates that ensue not only disrupt team cohesion but also drain the organization of its most important asset: its people.

But there is hope. By embracing structured resilience-building initiatives, organizations can transform this narrative. We have the power to cultivate an environment where employees not only survive but flourish under pressure. Picture a workplace where individuals feel supported, where their well-being is prioritized, and where they are empowered to tackle challenges with renewed vigor.

Resilience Development Strategies

Building resilience within organizations is a proactive approach to mitigating the negative effects of stress and burnout. The Stress Regulation Model provides a structured framework for understanding and fostering resilience.⁵ This model is based on four key regulatory factors that influence how individuals perceive and manage stress within the workplace.

The Sequence and Methodology for Implementing the Stress Regulation Model

To implement the Stress Regulation Model effectively, we must adopt a comprehensive, organization-wide strategy that seamlessly weaves resilience-building practices into the fabric of our workplaces. This isn’t just a matter of following best practices; it’s about nurturing a culture that places the well-being of every individual at its core. When organizations prioritize stress management, they empower their employees with the vital tools needed to navigate and regulate their stress levels. Imagine a workplace where every team member feels supported, understood, and equipped to face the daily challenges of their roles. This is not merely a dream—it’s a vision we can bring to life. By fostering an environment that values mental well-being and proactive stress management, we not only enhance individual resilience but also strengthen our entire organization. It also means creating a space where every employee can thrive, not just survive, and where the journey of managing stress becomes a shared commitment to collective well-being.

The implementation of the Stress Regulation Model follows a structured six-stage process designed to equip managers with the necessary tools to regulate stress and develop a resilient organizational culture (see Figure 1). Each stage builds upon the previous one, ensuring a gradual and comprehensive integration of stress management strategies.

Stage 1: Opening Lecture – Understanding Stress and Burnout

The process begins with an introductory lecture aimed at providing managers with an initial understanding of the stress and burnout mechanisms. This session offers an overview of how stress affects individuals and organizations and highlights the critical role of resilience in mitigating its negative impacts. Managers are also introduced to the intervention process that will guide them through the stages of developing organizational resilience.

Stage 2: Workshop – Practical Application of Stress Regulation Tools

In the second stage, managers participate in a hands-on workshop that deepens their knowledge of stress and burnout mechanisms. In the workshop, we use biofeedback training, where managers use a biofeedback tool to observe and understand the physiological responses that occur during stressful situations. By gaining real-time insights into their stress reactions, managers can better grasp the importance of stress regulation.

A key component of this workshop is the “Stress Map” tool, which helps participants identify their stress triggers and assess their regulation patterns. Through guided exercises, managers learn how to apply stress regulators, which are essential techniques for managing workplace stress effectively. This stage is interactive and experiential, ensuring that managers not only learn theoretical concepts but also practice their respective applications in real-time scenarios.

Stage 3: Application and Supervision in Learning Groups

At this stage, we form learning groups where the managers implement the stress regulation tools introduced in the earlier stage. These groups meet under the guidance of trained supervisors to ensure consistent practice and reinforcement of resilience strategies.

Through structured exercises and real-world case studies, managers apply the “Stress Map” tool in their daily work environment. They share their experiences, challenges, and successes with their peers, fostering a collaborative learning process. The emphasis is on practicing stress regulation in real-time situations, allowing managers to internalize these skills as part of their leadership approach.

Supervision is a critical element of this stage, providing managers with ongoing feedback, adjustments, and reinforcement of best practices. As they gain confidence in using stress regulation strategies, they develop a more adaptive and resilient leadership style, preparing them for the next phase of the implementation process.

Stage 4: Value-based Leadership as a Tool for Anchoring the Change

In the fourth stage, we return to a workshop framework in which managers learn about value-based leadership as a tool for anchoring the change they have implemented. Through the “value of values” tool, managers choose the set of values that will allow them to anchor the change and embed it as part of the unit’s culture.

We use Dolan’s 3Es Tri-axial model to ensure systemic anchoring of the change.⁶ This model describes how a balanced set of values needs to include three groups of values:

• The economic-pragmatic group deals with values that direct behavior in an effective way to achieve goals.
• The ethical-social group deals with relationship values like thoughtfulness, influence, loyalty, and tolerance.
• The emotional-developmental group focuses on values that encourage a life filled with interest and passion.

By translating these values into practical action, managers build the psychological contract that will enable the assimilation of the value system and anchor the change in the unit’s culture.⁷

Stage 5: Application and Supervision in Learning Groups

In the fifth stage, the managers are again divided into small learning groups, as was done in stage three, to implement the culture change designed in the previous stage. These groups meet under the guidance of trained supervisors, providing managers with ongoing feedback, adjustments, and reinforcement of best practices. In the groups, they share their experiences, challenges, and successes with their peers, fostering a collaborative learning process.

Stage 6: Closing Lecture

At the end of the process, a summary lecture is given, framing the entire process and integrating the change processes that the managers have made.

Conclusion and Postscript

Through workshops, learning groups, and value-based leadership, the process not only enhances individual coping strategies but also instills lasting cultural changes that promote well-being and sustained high performance across teams.

The paper shows how a structured resilience development process can effectively address stress and burnout in high-demand organizational settings. By leveraging tools such as the Stress Regulation Model and the “Stress Map,” organizations can create a culture that fosters resilience, empowering managers to effectively manage stress and enhance their leadership capabilities. Through workshops, learning groups, and value-based leadership, the process not only enhances individual coping strategies but also instills lasting cultural changes that promote well-being and sustained high performance across teams.

The process that was presented was recently implemented in “Maccabi Healthcare Services”, one of the four HMOs operating in Israel, by consultants from the Israel Values Center and Effect-Tiv Empowering Leaders. At the end of the process, 86% of participants, namely people in managing positions, responded that they frequently use the tools acquired in the process. So, a cascade effect in the organization was observed. The survey conducted before and after the implementation showed an increase in the managers’ feeling that they have room for choice and discretion and a significant increase in the feeling that they have the resources and tools to manage the challenges. Here are several quotes from participants:

“The process turns the issue of resilience into an active action in practice.”

“An excellent combination of theoretical knowledge and practical tools for immediate implementation.”

“Working in small groups added great value and allowed for a more personal and in-depth work process and allowed for an open dialogue in which everyone had a place and the ability to express themselves safely.”

We argue that the triumphant implementation of this model within a healthcare organization in Israel stands as a powerful testament to the profound impact that resilience development can have on employee engagement, satisfaction, and the overall health of an organization. Witnessing the transformative effects on the healthcare staff stirred something deep within, the realization that this approach could be a beacon of hope beyond the walls of healthcare organizations.

Thereafter, a new collaboration was initiated with the R&D Unit of a Clinically Based Teacher Education in “Mofet Institute” in Israel. Fueled by a shared commitment to combat the alarming levels of burnout faced by their dedicated teaching teams, a decision was made to develop a training program for mentors who support student teachers. The goal is to equip these mentors with the ability to serve as “stress-regulating guides” by effectively applying the four stress regulation factors. This initiative is the first step in enhancing the resilience of future educators, ensuring they can navigate the challenges of the teaching profession with greater confidence and well-being. This is more than just a project; it is an emotional journey toward healing, empowerment, and revitalization in our schools. It is our conviction that together, we are crafting an innovative solution that honors the passion, resilience, and unwavering spirit of those who shape the minds of our future.

About the Authors

Dr. Anat Garti is a psychologist, certified family and couple therapist, senior coach (MCIL), organizational consultant, group instructor and lecturer in various academic institutes. She is a psychotherapist and supervisor with wide experience working with adults, adolescents and children in individuals, couples and family contexts and settings. She also consults for organizations in the field of stress and burnout, implementing ISO 45003 – Psychological Health and Safety at Work, with a focus on the field of work-family conflict. Garti is the chief psychologist of the Israel Values Center (www.values-center.co.il) and the author of “The Parent as a Value Anchor”(Garti & Dolan, 2016)  and “Work Family Triangle Synchronization” (Garti & Tzafrir, 2022).

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is a full professor, senior researcher and director of programs at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comillas, Duesto and Georgetown Universities). He has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referees’ journals. He is also the cofounder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. His work, consulting and research focus on values, leadership, coaching, stress management and resilience as well as issues connected to the future of work. He created the concept, methodology and tools connected to leading and coaching by values as well as the Stress Map. His full bio at: www.simondolan.com or www.learningaboutvalues.com

References

1. Grotberg, E. H. (1997). The International Resilience Research Project. Meeting Paper, 55th Annual Convention, International Council of Psychologists, Graz, Austria, 14-18.

2. Lazarus R.S. and Folkman S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. (New York: Springer)

3. Dolan, S. L. (2023). De-Stress at Work: Understanding and Combatting Chronic Stress. (Routledge).

4. Maslach Burnout Inventory, Wikipedia Maslach Burnout Inventory – Wikipedia

5. Dolan S.L, Garti, A.  Ben-Hur R., and Landau A. (2025). Managing Stress and Burnout (in Hebrew, Forthcoming).

6. Simon L. Dolan, Salvador Garcia and Bonnie Richley (2006). Managing byValues: A Guide to Living, Being Alive, and Making a Living in the XXI Century. (Palgrave-MacMillan, London, U.K); and Simon L. Dolan (2011). Coaching by Values: A Guide to Success in the Life of Business and the Business of Life. (iUniverse. Bloomington, IND).

7. Garti, A., and Dolan, S. L. (2019). Managing by values (MBV): Innovative Tools for Successful Micro Behavioral Conduct. The European Business Review.

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PhD or DBA? As the world of work evolves, this analysis explores how each degree measures up, thereby helping professionals make smarter, values-driven choices for lasting career impact.

This short article reflects the essence of individual choice while also highlighting the transformative potential of both degrees. It invites readers to consider their unique paths and aspirations in the context of business and Management education, encouraging them to explore the opportunities that await.

In today’s dynamic professional landscape, the pursuit of a doctoral degree in management/business is no longer confined to academia. Increasingly, experienced professionals are weighing the merits of two distinct paths: the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). While both are rigorous and prestigious, they serve different purposes and appeal to different aspirations. The choice between them is not merely academic; it reflects deeper questions about how individuals define success, what they value in their careers, and how they envision their future impact.

Drawing on the Dual Aspect Importance and Achievement Career Success Scale (DAIA-CSS) developed by Briscoe et al. (2021), it first examines how professionals experience subjective career success—the personal fulfilment derived from learning, impact, autonomy, and relationships. It then turns to objective career success, focusing on externally recognized indicators such as status and salary. By comparing how each degree aligns with these dimensions, the article offers a nuanced framework to help professionals make informed, meaningful doctoral choices.

Subjective Career Success: Values, Aspirations, and Doctoral Choices

Choosing between a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) demands thoughtful decision-making. It depends on what you value most in your career. Do you seek impact, autonomy, financial growth, or lifelong learning? According to Briscoe et al. (2021), subjective career success is shaped by seven distinct dimensions—each reflecting different aspirations and definitions of fulfillment. By understanding which of these dimensions matter most to you, you can make a more informed choice.

To make a meaningful choice between a DBA and a PhD, it is not enough to consider the nature of the program alone. One must also consider the career that follows.

Let us start by understanding what constitutes “success”. For sure, it has become more complex—and more personal. To address this, the (DAIA-CSS) scale was developed and validated involving 18,471 participants across 30 countries, representing all major cultural clusters. What makes the DAIA-CSS distinctive is its dual-response format: it measures not only how much individuals feel they have achieved in various aspects of their careers, but also how important each of those aspects is to them personally. This approach led to the identification of seven core dimensions of subjective career success that proved meaningful across national and occupational boundaries:

• Learning & Development,
• Work-Life Balance,
• Positive Impact,
• Entrepreneurship,
• Positive Work Relationships,
• Financial Security, and
• Financial Success.

To make a meaningful choice between a DBA and a PhD, it is not enough to consider the nature of the program alone. One must also consider the career that follows. Each of the seven dimensions of subjective career success can be examined across two phases: the experience during the doctorate and the trajectory after graduation. This dual-phase perspective reveals how each degree aligns with different definitions of success.

Learning & Development. For those who value intellectual challenge and the pursuit of knowledge, the PhD offers a deeply immersive experience. It is designed to cultivate original thinking, theoretical mastery, and academic independence. The DBA, while also rigorous, is more practice-oriented; it allows professionals to apply research to real-world business problems, often within their own organizations. After graduation, the PhD typically leads to academic careers where learning continues through teaching, publishing, and mentoring. The DBA, by contrast, is often a springboard for strategic leadership, innovation, or thought leadership in industry. In both cases, learning continues, but the context and purpose differ.

Work-Life Balance. The structure of the DBA is explicitly designed to accommodate the lives of working professionals. Programs are often modular or part-time, allowing candidates to maintain their careers and personal responsibilities. PhD programs, especially full-time ones, are more demanding and immersive, often requiring candidates to put other aspects of life on hold. Post-graduation, the picture is more nuanced. Academic careers can offer flexibility and autonomy, but they are also marked by high workloads, pressure to publish, and administrative responsibilities. DBA graduates, depending on their roles, may enjoy more predictable schedules or greater control over their time, particularly in consulting or entrepreneurial settings.

Positive Impact. PhD candidates often aspire to contribute to knowledge and society through research, teaching, and policy influence. The impact is typically long-term and indirect. DBA candidates, on the other hand, are often motivated by the desire to solve pressing organizational or societal problems. Their research is applied, and the impact is often immediate and visible. In the long run, PhDs may shape generations of students or influence academic discourse. DBAs may transform businesses, industries, or communities. Both paths offer the potential for impact—but through different mechanisms and timelines.

Entrepreneurship. The DBA is particularly well-suited to entrepreneurial ambitions. Many candidates are founders, consultants, or executives seeking to enhance their strategic capabilities and credibility. The program supports innovation, business development, and market positioning. PhDs are less directly aligned with entrepreneurship, though they can support academic spin-offs or innovation in research-intensive sectors. After graduation, DBA holders often leverage their degree to scale ventures or enter advisory roles. PhDs may contribute to innovation ecosystems, but the path is less commercially oriented.

Positive Work Relationships. The DBA experience is typically cohort-based, fostering peer learning and professional networking. Candidates often come from diverse industries and geographies, creating rich opportunities for collaboration and exchange. PhD programs, while collaborative in parts, are often solitary, especially during the dissertation phase. After graduation, DBA holders often operate in team-based environments or leadership roles where interpersonal dynamics are central. PhD holders may work in collegial academic settings, but also face competitive pressures related to funding, publishing, and tenure.

Financial Security. Financial considerations during the doctorate differ starkly. PhD students often rely on stipends or scholarships, which vary widely and may be modest. DBA candidates usually remain employed, maintaining income and often receiving employer support. Post-doctorate PhD careers in academia offer stability but modest salaries. DBA graduates, by contrast, often command higher compensation in executive, consulting, or entrepreneurial roles. The financial risk is lower during the DBA, and the return on investment is often more immediate.

Financial Success. PhD students typically accept short-term financial constraints in exchange for long-term intellectual rewards. DBA candidates invest in tuition but rarely sacrifice income. The financial calculus is different. After graduation, PhDs may achieve financial success if they transition into industry or leadership roles, but academic salaries are generally modest. DBA holders are more likely to see a direct financial return, particularly in high-level business roles or entrepreneurial ventures.

Table 1 illustrates how the DBA and PhD align differently with each dimension of career success, both during the doctoral journey and in the careers that follow. It is important to remember, however, that these dimensions reflect subjective career success—how individuals personally define and experience fulfilment in their professional lives. Each person may weigh these dimensions differently, and what feels like success to one may not resonate with another. The value of the DAIA-CSS framework lies precisely in its ability to accommodate this diversity.

Table 1: Similarities and differences between PhD and DBA

Objective Indicators of Career Success: PhD vs. DBA

While the DAIA-CSS framework provides a robust lens for understanding how individuals define and pursue success on their own terms, it is important to recognize that this perspective captures only one side of the career equation. Career success is also evaluated through more externally visible and socially recognized indicators; this is the domain of objective career success, which includes measurable outcomes such as salary, job title, promotions, and institutional prestige. These markers reflect how success is acknowledged and rewarded by organizations, markets, and broader societal norms (for more support, see for example, Arthur et al., 2005; Gunz and Heslin, 2005).

For professionals weighing the DBA and PhD paths, understanding how each degree performs in terms of these objective outcomes is essential, particularly when considering return on investment, long-term financial security, and career visibility. In this context, indicators such as status and salary become especially salient, as they shape how doctoral qualifications are perceived and valued in professional environments. While subjective fulfillment remains vital, the external validation of one’s achievements often plays a decisive role in shaping career trajectories and opportunities.

Status and the Doctoral Title: A Cross-Cultural and Institutional Perspective

In many cultures, being addressed as “Doctor” carries a weight of authority, expertise, and social distinction that can significantly influence professional interactions and career trajectories.

The symbolic power of the doctoral title, whether PhD or DBA, extends far beyond its academic origins. In many cultures, being addressed as “Doctor” carries a weight of authority, expertise, and social distinction that can significantly influence professional interactions and career trajectories. In academic circles, the PhD remains the gold standard for scholarly legitimacy, often serving as a gatekeeper for tenure-track positions, research funding, and intellectual leadership. The title is not merely a credential but a marker of one’s contribution to the advancement of knowledge. In contrast, the DBA, while academically rigorous, is more closely aligned with applied research and executive practice. Its status is often contingent on the context: in business schools and corporate environments, the DBA is increasingly recognized as a prestigious qualification for senior leadership and strategic consultancy roles.

Cultural norms further shape how the doctoral title is perceived. In countries like Germany, Austria, parts of Eastern Europe, and many countries in Latam (America Latina), the title “Dr.” is used formally and frequently, even outside academic settings, reinforcing its social prestige. In Anglo-Saxon contexts, particularly in the UK and the US, the use of the title is more reserved, often confined to medical domains. Meanwhile, in Asia and the Middle East, doctoral degrees are highly revered, often symbolizing not just educational attainment but also social mobility and familial honor. These cultural variations influence how status is conferred and recognized, affecting everything from networking opportunities to boardroom credibility.

In the professional world, status derived from a doctoral degree can open doors to elite networks, speaking engagements, and advisory roles. However, the nature of that status depends on the degree’s alignment with the expectations of the field. A PhD may command respect in policy or research-driven sectors, while a DBA may be more valued in corporate strategy, entrepreneurship, or executive education. Understanding these nuances is crucial for professionals seeking to leverage their doctoral credentials not just for personal fulfilment, but for strategic positioning within their chosen ecosystems.

Salary as a Marker of Career Success in Business Doctorates

Salary remains one of the most tangible and universally recognized indicators of objective career success. It not only reflects an individual’s market value but also signals how institutions and industries reward expertise, leadership, and strategic impact. For professionals considering doctoral education, the financial implications of pursuing a PhD versus a DBA are far from trivial. Beyond the immediate costs of tuition and opportunity loss, the long-term earning potential associated with each degree can significantly influence career decisions, especially in sectors where compensation is closely tied to perceived authority and contribution.

In academic settings, PhD holders in business typically pursue careers in research and teaching, where salary structures are influenced by institutional prestige, geographic region, and scholarly output. In top-tier business schools—particularly in North America, the UK, and parts of Asia—PhD graduates can secure well-compensated positions, especially when they publish in high-impact journals and contribute to the school’s global reputation. However, outside these elite institutions, academic salaries may be more modest, and the path to financial stability can be prolonged by years of postdoctoral or adjunct roles.

By contrast, DBA graduates are usually experienced professionals who pursue a degree to enhance their strategic capabilities and leadership profile. Rather than entering academia, they often remain in or return to the corporate world, where the DBA can serve as a catalyst for career acceleration. In this context, salary gains are often more immediate and directly linked to the individual’s ability to apply research insights into complex business challenges. The DBA is particularly valued in executive education, consulting, and entrepreneurial ventures, where thought leadership and practical impact are rewarded with higher compensation.

Table 2: Side-by-Side (US Averages)

While both degrees can lead to financially rewarding careers, the nature and timing of those rewards differ. The PhD offers long-term academic capital, often with delayed financial returns, whereas the DBA provides a more immediate pathway to enhanced earning potential, particularly for professionals who can translate their research into visible organizational value.

Conclusion: Doctoral Education in the Future of Work

In the context of the rapidly changing world of work, characterized by digital transformation, evolving leadership models, and the rise of portfolio careers, the landscape of doctoral education in business must also evolve. The choice between a PhD and a DBA is no longer a binary decision between academia and practice; it reflects how individuals define success and how institutions respond to the shifting demands of professionals and organizations in a knowledge-driven economy.

For individuals, the pursuit of a doctorate is increasingly shaped by the need to remain relevant, credible, and impactful in a world where expertise is constantly being redefined. The DAIA-CSS framework reminds us that career success is not one-size-fits-all. Some professionals seek intellectual depth and academic contribution; others prioritize strategic influence, entrepreneurial impact, or financial growth. The PhD and DBA offer different pathways to fulfillment, and the key lies in alignment between the degree and the individual’s evolving definition of success in the future of work.

The choice between a PhD and a DBA is no longer a binary decision between academia and practice; it reflects how individuals define success and how institutions respond to the shifting demands of professionals and organizations in a knowledge-driven economy.

For institutions, this transformation presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Too many universities still hesitate to embrace the DBA, fearing it may dilute their academic brand. But this view is increasingly outdated. The DBA is not a lesser doctorate; it is a different one, designed for a different purpose. It belongs at the heart of executive education, offering experienced professionals a rigorous, research-based platform to address real-world challenges. In a world where business problems are complex, fast-moving, and interdisciplinary, the DBA equips leaders to generate actionable insights with academic integrity.

In this context, the DBA should be seen not as a competitor to the PhD, but as a natural progression from executive master’s programs—such as the Executive MBA or specialized master’s degrees in finance, marketing, human resource management or leadership. For many professionals, these programs provide the foundation for strategic thinking and advanced management skills. The DBA offers the next step: a structured opportunity to deepen expertise, generate original insights, and contribute to the broader business community through applied research. It transforms experienced practitioners into practitioner-scholars—individuals who not only lead but also shape the thinking behind leadership.

This is particularly relevant in the fields of human resource management, strategy, marketing, and finance where globalization, demographic shifts, and digital transformation are redefining the nature of work and talented professionals are now expected to navigate complex, multicultural environments while addressing issues such as remote collaboration, global mobility, and inclusive leadership. The rise of artificial intelligence further amplifies these challenges, raising critical questions about algorithmic bias, workforce reskilling, and the ethical use of data in people analytics (See: Dolan, Raich and Trevino, 2025). A DBA enables leaders to rigorously investigate these emerging dynamics and develop evidence-based strategies that align organizational goals with human potential. By bridging academic research and practical application, the DBA empowers management professionals to become strategic architects of the future workplace—globally aware, technologically fluent, and deeply attuned to the evolving expectations of a diverse workforce.

For business schools, this presents a strategic opportunity. The DBA can serve as a flagship offering within the executive education portfolio, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to lifelong learning, innovation, and societal impact. By integrating the DBA into their ecosystem, schools can build bridges between academic research and business practice, attract high-caliber professionals, and expand their influence beyond traditional academic boundaries. Far from diluting the brand, a well-designed DBA program can enhance it, by demonstrating that the institution is responsive to the evolving needs of the market and capable of delivering research that matters.

As the future of work continues to unfold—with careers becoming more fluid, interdisciplinary, and purpose-driven, the demand for flexible, relevant, and high-impact doctoral education will only grow. Institutions that embrace this shift will be better positioned to lead. And individuals who reflect deeply on their values, aspirations, and definitions of success will be better equipped to choose the path—PhD or DBA—that aligns with their vision of a meaningful and impactful career.

As a final note, let us insist that the future of doctoral education in management/business depends on a shared commitment to relevance, diversity, and the recognition that success comes in many forms. Institutions must evolve to support this diversity, and individuals must choose the path that best aligns with their purpose. The DBA and the PhD are not competitors, they are complementary responses to a world where knowledge, leadership, and impact are more interconnected than ever. In the future of work, both degrees have a vital role to play.

The images are original illustrations by Ishu Shrestha,
HEAD OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING & GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, The Global Future of Work Foundation. 

About the Authors

Dr. Jean Luc Cerdin is a full professor at ESSEC Business School (France). He specializes in international management of human resources, careers, and mobility. He obtained his doctorate (PhD) at the University of Toulouse and a master’s degree at London School of Economics. Dr. Cerdin has authored and co-authored many publications in his field of expertise, as well as several best-selling books. 

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is the President and Co-founder of GFWF. He was the former director of the ESADE Future of Work Chair, and holds a PhD in People Management and Work Psychology from the University of Minnesota. He is the co-founder of E-merit Academy, creator of the concept, methodology and tools of “Managing, Leading and Coaching by Values” (www.learningaboutvalues.com), and creator of the STRESS MAP and the online digital diagnosis of stress (www.stress2resilience.com), He is the founder of Gestion M.D.S. management consulting (Canada). He is a former full professor at the Universities of Montreal, McGill, Boston, and others. Dr. Dolan has published over 85 books (in different languages), and over 180 articles in journals destined for business and the academia. He is a paradigm breaker and highly solicited speaker on issues of work in Tomorrowland, culture reengineering, innovative executive coaching, stress management and health enhancement, and new leadership.

Dr. Michel Kalika, emeritus Professor, is the president of the Business Science Institute, an international academic network providing an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (AMBA accredited) in face-to-face (10 locations) and online formats, in French, English, German,  and Spanish. In 2025, the Business Science Institute DBA program included 200+ doctoral manager-researchers from 60 countries, 200+ faculty members, 220 graduates, and a collection of 60+ books dedicated to DBA studies. He has co-coordinated a book on the DBA written by authors from eight leading DBA programs in six countries. Previously, Michel Kalika was professor at Lyon School of Management, University Jean Moulin, at Paris Dauphine University, where he created DBA and MBA programs, and dean of EM Strasbourg Business School. Michel is the author or co-author of more than 25 books and approximately 100 various other publications in the fields of strategy and information technology.

References

Arthur, M. B., Khapova, S. N., and Wilderom, C. P. M. (2005). Career Success in a Boundaryless Career World. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(2), p. 177–202. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.290

Briscoe, J. P., Kaše, R., Dries, N., Dysvik, A., Unite, J. A., Adeleye, I., Andresen, M., ……, & Zikic, J. (2021). Here, There, and everywhere: Development and Validation of a cross-culturally Representative Measure of Subjective Career Success. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 130, 103612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103612

Dolan S.L. Raich M., Trivino (2025). Equipping for Tomorrow: Unlocking New Skills for the Future of Work in 2033, The European Business Review, July-August

Gunz, H. P., and Heslin, P. A. (2005). Reconceptualizing Career Success. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(2), 105–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.300

^[1]The authors are members of the international faculty that comprise our DBA program, which was established over a decade ago by Professor Michel Kalika through the Business Science Institute (BSI) in Luxembourg. Recently, we have strengthened our program with the exciting addition of the Global Future of Work Foundation, which now offers a virtual, multilingual DBA. This innovative program explores a variety of themes and perspectives related to the Future of Work, ensuring that our students are at the forefront of this vital area. Our international faculty represents a distinguished “who’s who” in the field, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience that inspires and empowers our participants. For more info, check DBA in the Future of Work – Global Future of Work Foundation

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By Dr. Pedro Cesar Martinez Moran and Dr. Simon L. Dolan

In today’s ever-evolving world, it’s crucial to look beyond the surface and recognize the potential dangers lurking in the unseen corners of our society. While the idea of a hidden harmful society may seem daunting, it also presents us with a powerful opportunity for awareness and growth. This article sheds light on these issues with the hope of empowering all of us (communities, political leaders, corporations and academic institutions) to take proactive steps toward positive change. Ignoring these challenges may seem easier, but envisioning a healthier and more sustainable future requires us to confront the realities that many may overlook.

Introduction

We live in a time when society, far from being a refuge of support and growth, can become a source of silent harm. A harmful society is one that, consciously or unconsciously, normalizes behaviors that hurt, exclude, or humiliate others. It is not just about great acts of violence or injustice but about an everyday culture where damage – emotional, social, symbolic – is reproduced without question.

In a harmful society:

• My judgment is the only valid one. I contrast my analysis with those who will corroborate my analysis. I reject those who force me to rethink.
• Criticism, sometimes ruthless, replaces the rational.
• Appearance is valued more than well-being.
• Social networks become free administrators of empty sentences and self-promoting sentences. There is no room for fair judgment.
• Relationships – family, work, affective – are destroyed by struggles for power, control or ego.
• Sustaining or promoting mental health is minimized or ridiculed.
• Success is measured in terms of performance, not balance or humanity, not employing value added to community or to society.
• Good manners are seen as a weakness.

The most complex aspect of a harmful society is that many of its practices have become so common that they go unnoticed: ignoring someone as a form of punishment, mocking under the pretext of humor, making irony an insidious source of punishment and humiliation, constantly competing, speaking ill of others to validate themselves. Such is not only a society that allows harm, but one that, many times, encourages it, normalizes it and even rewards it.

The danger of this type of society is not always obvious. “He disguises himself in successful speeches, hides behind screens, and feeds on the fear of not fitting in.”¹ Little by little, it erodes mental health, destroys collective trust, and creates a culture where toxic individualism prevails. It makes us forget that what is truly human is to take care of others, not to crush them.

If we are not aware, we risk perpetuating this damage. For this reason, it is urgent to question the values that are imposed on us, to build communities based on respect, solidarity and common welfare. Only in this way can we transform a harmful society into a society that heals.²

Conflicts have always existed. They have diverse origins such as different ethnicities, religions, political ideologies, social differences and economic inequalities, access to and possession of territories, and the tenure of natural resources. The consequence of many of these conflicts has been confrontation, war, destruction, partial or total. The trail of hatred and revenge has fueled the behaviors of generations and generations.

Society has been generating models for overcoming these conflicts. Peace treaties, reconciliation processes, mediation and negotiation tables have been instruments used to eradicate future disputes. Such confrontations are elevated to a higher level. Entire territories and countries or population centers are involved in the fight. Either from within the opponents or together with the support of third parties, an end is sought for them. Rarely have the means of pacification managed to have a sense of anticipation.

In recent years, a set of disputes, fights, and confrontations with lower participation of contenders have appeared, which leaves a silent trail of damage. Due to their magnitude and the various scenarios in which they occur, it is difficult to avoid not being involved in any of them. The stealthy sum it produces leads to perpetuating that we are facing a harmful society with different ramifications.

The dark side of social media

In the digital age, spaces that should foster connection and growth have too often become places of revenge or disqualifications.

On social networks, validation has become a bargaining chip. Personal worth seems to be measured in likes, followers, and viral content. This system drives constant competition for attention and approval, leading many people to distort their identity, hide their pain, or even attack others to gain visibility. Behind the screens, the other is dehumanized. Hate speech, cancellation without reflection and the pressure to appear to have a perfect life are clear symptoms of a society that feeds on judgment and not on understanding.

The silent damage of breaking friendships

Divorces and separations are, by nature, complex and painful processes. However, when one or both members of the couple act out of resentment, the need for revenge or the desire to hurt the other, the damage that is generated goes far beyond the emotional. Instead of closing a stage with respect and maturity, a cycle of psychological violence, manipulation and deep wounds that can last for years is opened.

One of the most harmful behaviors is the use of children as a tool to punish the other parent. This can be reflected in parental alienation when one parent emotionally manipulates children into rejecting the other. This type of behavior has devastating consequences for the children, who carry a divided loyalty and emotional confusion that can mark their development, in addition to hurting the excluded father or mother.

Another common behavior is the distortion of reality in legal processes. Exaggerating or inventing situations to gain advantages in matters such as custody, pension or the extinction of the existing condominium not only delays the judicial process but also contaminates relationships and emotionally wears down everyone involved. This instrumentalization of justice for vengeful purposes shows a clear intention to harm the other beyond what is reasonable.

The constant reminder of events that have occurred in the past, with an extensive litany of dates, places and details, far from paving the way, feeds gasoline on the irreducible fire of hatred.

Passive-aggressive attacks are also frequent, such as defaming the ex-partner in front of friends, neighbors, family or even on social networks. This type of behavior seeks to destroy the reputation of the other, generating social and emotional damage that is often irreversible.

Silence becomes a weapon of destruction. All communication is cut off. Messages are no longer answered, which, inevitably, need another one back. Sometimes, open dialogue is suddenly replaced by a cold and freezing silence.

These attitudes not only prevent a healthy separation but also perpetuate a negative bond between people who should no longer have any relationship than is strictly necessary, especially if there are children involved. Sustained and nurtured resentment damages mental health, prevents the closure of the cycle and makes it difficult to build new personal or family relationships.

The real problem is not the divorce itself but how it is managed. When the breakup becomes a battlefield where the focus is to win or make the other suffer, everyone loses. Opting for respect and dialogue, as difficult as it may be, is the only way to mitigate the pain and prevent a separation from becoming a permanent wound.

When a friendship is broken with the intention of hurting

Friendship breakups, although less visible than those of a couple, can be just as painful. There are records of divorces and separations but none of broken friendships. And when such breakups come with a load of resentment or with the clear intention of hurting, the damage can be deep and lasting.

Cutting off all communication without explanation or applying the silent treatment for a long time can leave the other in a situation of bewilderment and pain, especially if the relationship was close.

One of the most toxic behaviors in these situations is to speak badly of the ex-friend to third parties, seeking to isolate him or her socially or destroy his or her image. This not only fuels conflict but creates unnecessary divisions in common groups and sows mistrust.

Another form of harm is the revelation of shared secrets, a direct betrayal that goes to the heart of the trust that once united both people. Breaking that implicit pact not only hurts but leaves a mark that is difficult to erase.³

The use of silence as punishment is also common. Cutting off all communication without explanation or applying the silent treatment for a long time can leave the other in a situation of bewilderment and pain, especially if the relationship was close.

The problem isn’t that friendships end—it’s natural for some relationships to change or dissolve over time—but the way some people choose to close those ties: with anger, manipulation, or contempt.

Closing cycles with dignity, even in friendship, is a sign of emotional maturity. When the intention is to harm, the one who loses the most is not always the other: it is oneself.

Family conflicts: When the bond becomes a weapon

Family conflicts, while inevitable in many cases, can become deeply destructive when behavior is guided not by the desire to resolve but by the desire to hurt. In those moments, the emotional closeness that binds family members together becomes the sharpest weapon.

One of the most common and harmful acts is bringing up past mistakes to humiliate or manipulate the other. Instead of addressing a current problem, old wounds are used as a form of punishment. This not only poisons the present but also prevents any possibility of honest reconciliation.

It is also common to take sides within the family, where a marked division is generated between “mine” and “yours”, deteriorating the family fabric and leaving some members emotionally isolated. This dynamic fuels resentment and breaks trust.

Silence is also used in this area. Ignoring, excluding, and cutting off communication are powerful means of emotional violence. In a family, being ignored hurts more than being yelled at.

Silent violence in education

In schools and universities, emotional damage is often hidden behind jokes, group dynamics or non-explicit hierarchies. Bullying among peers, humiliation disguised as humor, systematic exclusion or favoritism by teachers are forms of daily violence that rarely transcend. As in other close relationships, the damage is more serious because it is born from coexistence and apparent normality and because, many times, those who suffer it do not feel legitimized to name it.

Formal and informal authority protects the one who commits the punishment. The victim feels different moods, in many cases, even contradictory. Demonstration of the complex psychological situation that drags and leaves the suffering evil.

Silent hostility in neighborhood communities

Neighborhood communities, neutral spaces for coexistence, can become scenarios of sustained conflict and subtle emotional damage. Unlike major social confrontations, here, the discomfort is built in silence through small but persistent gestures, looks of contempt, rumors that circulate in the corridors, repeated complaints, indirect comments or the simple act of ignoring the other deliberately.

Many times, these conflicts do not have a specific origin but are fed by prejudices, lifestyle differences, or resentments accumulated over time. Disputes over the use of common spaces, noise or the rules of coexistence are transformed into personal battles where the objective is no longer to solve and becomes to punish, point out or marginalize.

This type of damage is difficult to denounce or make visible because it moves in the implicit. There are usually no direct insults or physical aggressions, but there is an atmosphere of constant tension that wears down the emotional health of those who inhabit it. The victim often ends up isolated, not knowing how to act without appearing to be exaggerating or combative.

Coexistence, when contaminated by contempt or indifference, can become a hostile environment. And the saddest thing is that this type of passive violence usually lasts for years, becoming normalized.

Invisible wear and tear in work environments

Work, beyond its productive function, is a space of human bonds, and as such, it can also be the scene of harmful dynamics that, although not always expressed openly, undermine the emotional health of those who suffer from them. In many work environments, mistreatment does not occur in shouting or explicit aggression but in more subtle forms: exclusion from important conversations, constant indifference, passive-aggressive comments or a systematic lack of recognition.

The damage is aggravated when these attitudes are normalized under the logic of “that’s the way things are here” or when those who suffer it are afraid to point it out for fear of reprisals, isolation or loss of employment. Rigid hierarchies, poorly managed competitiveness and a lack of safe spaces for dialogue favour this type of silent violence. Often, what appear to be “work tensions” are sustained forms of emotional harassment.

In these environments, people may experience anxiety, low self-esteem, insomnia, and even physical symptoms without clearly identifying the cause. Everyday hostility, when it becomes part of the landscape, leaves deep marks and affects not only professional performance but also personal life.⁴

Efficiency and productivity have become a supreme value. Burnout is glorified as a sign of commitment, while minimizing the importance of emotional well-being. Toxic environments, unfair competition, and a lack of empathy among colleagues are signs of a culture that rewards results, not humanity. In many cases, those who speak out are silenced for fear of reprisals or the stigma of being “problematic”.

Work should be a place where one can grow, contribute and feel a part of something. When it becomes a field of constant emotional exhaustion, the damage transcends work: it erodes the dignity and well-being of those who suffer from it.

Conclusion

We have built systems that harm instead of caring, that isolate instead of uniting. A harmful society is not born from a single act but from small collective decisions that normalize injustice and despise vulnerability.

The solution is not only to resist but to transform. It is urgent to reclaim authenticity, both in what we share and in how we work. We need spaces that promote real conversations where people are valued beyond their achievements. Only in this way can we break the cycle and build a better society.

Harmful society presents multiple dangers that affect not only individuals but also the community. These dangers can manifest themselves in various ways, from toxicity in interpersonal relationships to the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes to misinformation and emotional manipulation.

One of the most concerning aspects of a harmful society is how it can affect people’s mental health. The pressure to meet unrealistic standards can result in anxiety, depression, and a decline in self-esteem. In addition, the toxic environment can encourage destructive competition rather than collaboration, which in turn limits creativity and personal growth.

However, all is not lost. It is critical that we become aware of these dangers and work together to build a healthier, more positive environment. By promoting empathy and open communication, we can dismantle harmful stereotypes and foster relationships based on respect and support.

Likewise, education plays a central role. Informing ourselves about the harmful effects of disinformation and developing critical thinking will allow us to make more informed decisions and contribute to a more inclusive society.

Each of us has the power to be an agent of change. By adopting a positive mindset and supporting those around us, we can build a community that values collective well-being over societal pressures. Let us accept the responsibility to transform our society, addressing the dangers and always choosing what edifies and uplifts. Change starts with us!

About the Authors

Dr. Pedro Cesar Martinez Moran is the Director of Master in Talent Management at Advantere School of Management. Since 2017, he has also been the Director of Master of HR at he Pontificia University of Comillas. In addition to academic work, he has worked in different roles as senior executive and senior consultant. Currently he is a member of the board of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com).

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is a professor at Advantere School of Management and the University of Comillas. He is the former director of the ESADE Future of Work Chair. He has a PhD in People Management and Work Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is a former full professor at ESADE, the University of Montreal, McGill University, Boston University, and others. He has published over 80 books, including academic textbooks in HR, in English, French, and Spanish. He is the co-founder and president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com).

References

1. We prefer not to mention specific names, but feel free to apply it to some political leaders or CEOs of very well-known companies.

2. We recommend reading Dolan S.L. Garcia S., Richley B., (2006). Managing by Values: A Corporate Guide to Living. Being Alive and Making a Living in the XXI Century (Palgrave Macmillan); Dolan S. L. (2020). The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values: How to Ensure Alignment and Proper Realignment (Routledge).

3. In a recent book on trust building, there is an entire chapter that discusses trust in the family and how to build it. The book is currently available in Spanish and French only. Dolan S.L. Brykman K, Diez Piñol M., (2025) “Construir la Confianza“, McGraw Hill; Dolan S., Brykman K., (2025) Déchiffrer le code de la confiance, Presse de l ‘Université du Québec. 

4. For more on that, read in Dolan S.L. (2023). De-Stress at Work: Understanding and Combatting Chronic Stress (Routledge); Dolan S.L. (2007). Stress, Self-Esteem, Health and Work (Palgrave-MacMillan).

The post Unveiling the Shadows: Understanding and Transforming Hidden Societal Risks appeared first on The European Business Review.

By Dr. Simon L. Dolan, Dr. Mario Raich, and Pedro César Martínez Morán

The best thing ever to happen to humanity – or the worst? The predictions for the impact of AI range from the euphoric to the apocalyptic. Where does the truth lie? Perhaps everything depends on those driving its adoption.

The conversation surrounding AI-driven automation is one permeated with fear and uncertainty, as many visionaries have foreseen the profound disruptions it could inflict on our labor markets. Their words echo with a somber resonance, reminding us of the precarious balance between technological advancement and the well-being of countless individuals.

Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” This stark warning encapsulates a growing concern — that our pursuit of efficiency will undermine the fundamental essence of human contribution in the workforce. Imagine a future where machines replace the very hands that toil, rendering people expendable and relegating their aspirations to dust.

Moreover, the late Stephen Hawking articulated a chilling vision: “The rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity. We do not yet know which.” His words resonate deeply, trembling with the weight of existential dread. As we rush toward an era driven by algorithms and automaticity, we are left to ponder: who will remain at the heart of the labor market? Will our dreams of productivity lead us to a dark abyss of unemployment, where human touch is deemed obsolete?

Elon Musk, a fervent advocate for caution in the face of AI technology, hauntingly warned, “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I were to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that… With AI, we are summoning the demon.” His metaphor serves as a reminder that with our relentless quest for innovation, we might unleash forces we cannot control. As machines increasingly supplant jobs, we risk surrendering not only our livelihoods but also our sense of purpose.

The truth is, the march of technology is relentless, and the toll it has on the workforce can feel insurmountable. As we stand on the precipice of this brave new world, we find ourselves embroiled in a moral quandary: how do we safeguard the dignity of work in an age where the machines are rising? Will we allow the fear of joblessness to transform our society into one where purpose is lost, replaced solely by automation’s cold efficiency? It is a future that beckons with both promise and peril, and it is one that demands our urgent reflection.

Pessimistic Vision: The Fear of Job Displacement

Critics argue that AI-driven automation will disrupt labor markets, rendering millions jobless. Routine tasks in manufacturing, customer service, transportation, and even white-collar sectors like law and finance are increasingly automated. A seminal Oxford study by Frey and Osborne (2013) estimated that 47 per cent of U.S. jobs are at high risk of automation. Nearly 10 years later, “jobs with a high risk of automation constitute approximately 27 per cent on average across OECD countries” (source: https://www.cesi.org/posts/oecd-27-of-jobs-at-high-risk-from-ai/).

AI’s rapid advancement, unlike previous technological shifts, may outpace workers’ ability to adapt, exacerbating inequality. As economist John Maynard Keynes warned in 1930, “technological unemployment” arises when “the discovery of means of economising the use of labour outrun[s] the pace at which we can find new uses for labour.” Critics like Elon Musk caution that AI could create a “jobless underclass,” while Stephen Hawking feared it might become “the worst event in civilization’s history” if mismanaged.

Here are some pessimistic quotes from notable figures who have expressed concerns about AI-driven automation and its potential to disrupt labor markets, leading to widespread job losses:

• Stephen Hawking (theoretical physicist): “The automation of factories has already decimated jobs in traditional manufacturing, and the rise of artificial intelligence is likely to extend this job destruction deep into the middle classes, with only the most caring, creative, or supervisory roles remaining.”
• Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX): “AI is a fundamental existential risk for human civilization, and I don’t think people fully appreciate that. It’s capable of vastly more than almost anyone knows, and the rate of improvement is exponential. We need to be super careful with AI. It’s potentially more dangerous than nukes.” And moreover: “There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better. These are not things that I wish will happen. These are simply things that I think probably will happen.”
• Bill Gates (co-founder of Microsoft): “Software substitution, whether it’s for drivers or waiters or nurses… it’s progressing… Technology over time will reduce demand for jobs, particularly at the lower end of the skill set.”
• Andrew Yang (entrepreneur and former U.S. presidential candidate): “The truth is that automation is already here, and it’s already destroying jobs. The pace of job destruction is only going to accelerate in the coming years, and we’re not prepared for it.”
• Yuval Noah Harari (historian and author of Sapiens): “As artificial intelligence outperforms humans in more and more tasks, it will replace humans in more and more jobs. Many new professions are likely to appear—virtual-world designers, for example. But such professions will probably require more creativity and flexibility, and it is unclear whether 40-year-old unemployed taxi drivers or insurance agents will be able to reinvent themselves as virtual-world designers.”
• Martin Ford (futurist and author of Rise of the Robots): “The real threat is mass unemployment—or, at the very least, a future in which a great many people simply cannot find work because they have been displaced by machines and there are no new jobs to replace the ones that have been lost.”
• Noam Chomsky (linguist and political activist): “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete and would be superseded.”
• Kai-Fu Lee (AI expert and author of AI Superpowers): “AI will increasingly replace repetitive jobs, not just for blue-collar work but a lot of white-collar work. The disruption will be profound, and we need to think about how to prepare for a world where a significant portion of the population is unemployable.”

Optimistic Vision: Adaptation and New Opportunities

History, however, suggests resilience. The Industrial Revolution, despite displacing agrarian workers, birthed factories, railways, and urban services, ultimately raising living standards. Similarly, AI will eliminate some roles but spawn new industries. The World Economic Forum (2020) predicts that AI will create 97 million new jobs by 2025, including roles in AI ethics, data science, and human-machine collaboration. For instance, while self-driving trucks may reduce driving jobs, they will increase demand for logistics analysts and remote fleet managers. And, further, an IMF report found that AI will impact 40 per cent of jobs worldwide. In advanced economies, this figure rises to 60 per cent, with roughly half experiencing negative effects (Cazzaniga et al. 2024).

In a world rapidly transforming through the lens of artificial intelligence, it’s easy to feel a twinge of anxiety over the future of work.

AI’s true potential lies in augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them. Erik Brynjolfsson, an MIT economist, argues that “AI can be a tool to complement human creativity,” enabling workers to focus on complex problem-solving and innovation. Education and reskilling programs will be critical. David Autor, a labor economist, notes that “automation reshapes work, but rarely eliminates it,” emphasizing that technology historically creates more jobs than it destroys.

In a world rapidly transforming through the lens of artificial intelligence, it’s easy to feel a twinge of anxiety over the future of work. Yet, amidst these uncertainties, voices of optimism rise above the noise, reminding us of the boundless opportunities that lie ahead. Some of our greatest thinkers and leaders have expressed powerful sentiments about AI-driven automation, shedding light on a hopeful narrative that encourages us to embrace this evolution with open hearts and open minds.

Consider the words of Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, who once said, “Our industry does not respect tradition—it only respects innovation. We can innovate our way into a better future.” This sentiment speaks to the heart of what AI can accomplish. It is not merely a tool to replace jobs, but a gateway to new realms of innovation. As automation takes over mundane tasks, our creative capacities are freed—from the mundane to the magnificent.

Jacques Attali, the French economist and former advisor to President François Mitterrand, propounded a hopeful vision for the future when he stated, “The future will be about silicon and minds, about man-machine cooperation.” His insight urges us to envision a world where the relationship between humans and technology is one of collaboration, not conflict. The journey ahead is not about pitting man against machine but rather weaving a fabric of teamwork that harnesses the strengths of both to tackle challenges head-on.

And as we stand on the precipice of this adventurous journey, let us hold dear the words of Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” This philosophy of leadership is crucial in an AI-driven world, where it is our collective responsibility to mentor and uplift one another. We must ensure that the transformation does not lead to division but fosters an inclusive community where everyone can thrive.

The essence of these quotes encapsulates a future filled with promise and possibility. We must remember that automation is not an end, but a beginning—an opportunity to redefine human work and elevate one another. Let us boldly step forward, arms intertwined and hearts open, as we collectively shape the landscape of tomorrow. The power to transform our futures lies in our hands, guided by hope, innovation, and a shared vision of a prosperous world for all.

Here are some additional optimistic quotes from notable figures who have expressed positive outlook about AI-driven automation and its potential to enhance well-being in civilization and create tons of new jobs that will compensate for the routine, boring and manual work:

• Mark Zuckerberg (co-founder and CEO of Meta): “AI is going to make our lives better in the future, and it’s already improving our lives today in many ways. We’re going to have more tools to solve big problems, create new opportunities, and improve the quality of life for people around the world.”
• Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft): “AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, and it has the potential to help solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. It’s not about man versus machine; it’s about man with machines. We need to think about how we can use AI to augment human capabilities and create new opportunities for everyone.”
• Fei-Fei Li (AI researcher and professor at Stanford): “AI is not going to replace humans; it’s going to augment humans. The future of work is not about humans versus machines; it’s about humans working alongside machines to achieve things we couldn’t do before.”
• Ginni Rometty (former CEO of IBM): “AI will not destroy jobs; it will change them. Every job will be augmented by AI, and new jobs will be created that we can’t even imagine today. The key is to focus on reskilling and upskilling the workforce to prepare for this future.”
• Andrew Ng (AI pioneer and co-founder of Coursera): “AI is the new electricity. Just as electricity transformed almost everything 100 years ago, today I have a hard time thinking of an industry that I don’t think AI will transform in the next several years. This will create new opportunities and improve productivity across the board.”
• Jensen Huang (CEO of NVIDIA): “AI will create more jobs than it displaces. It will enable entirely new industries and opportunities that we can’t even envision today. The key is to embrace the technology and invest in education and training to prepare the workforce for the future.”
• Erik Brynjolfsson (economist and Director of MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy): “Technology is not destiny. The future of work depends on the choices we make today. AI and automation can lead to greater productivity, higher wages, and more leisure time if we manage the transition wisely. The challenge is to ensure that the benefits are widely shared.”
• Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn): “AI will not eliminate jobs; it will transform them. The future of work is about humans and machines collaborating to achieve more together than either could alone. The key is to focus on lifelong learning and adaptability.”
• Ray Kurzweil (futurist and inventor): “AI will augment human intelligence and create new opportunities for innovation and creativity. It’s not about replacing humans; it’s about enhancing our capabilities and enabling us to solve problems that were previously unsolvable.”

These quotes reflect a more hopeful perspective on AI-driven automation, emphasizing the potential for collaboration between humans and machines, the creation of new industries, and the importance of education and adaptability in navigating the future of work. While challenges remain, these voices argue that AI can be a force for positive change if managed thoughtfully.

Conclusion and a Strong Message to Future-Shapers

While AI will disrupt certain sectors, humanity’s capacity to adapt is enduring. By investing in education, social safety nets, and policies that promote equitable access to new opportunities, societies can harness AI’s benefits. As with the Industrial Revolution, fear of obsolescence is natural but unwarranted. As economist Joseph Schumpeter observed, technological progress involves “creative destruction”—a cycle of renewal that ultimately drives prosperity. The future need not be bleak if we proactively shape it.

As robots and intelligent machines increasingly take the reins of production and value creation, we stand on the precipice of a profound transformation—one that calls for new mechanisms of value sharing, potentially paving the way for a groundbreaking economy and business paradigm. This shift compels us to contemplate the very essence of work, which has already begun to evolve and will continue to do so. Work should not merely be a means to an end; it is fundamentally about addressing human challenges, delivering essential products and services, and ensuring a dignified quality of life for everyone who desires it.

Quality of life encompasses our deepest values and the fulfillment of our unique journeys in life. It’s about chasing dreams, nurturing our passions, and fostering connections that enrich our existence. Kate Raworth’s groundbreaking work, Doughnut Economics, published in 2017, resonates powerfully in this context. She brilliantly challenges us to rethink our economic systems by posing a vital question: How can we transform economies driven by relentless growth into ecosystems that enable all of us to thrive, irrespective of their growth rates? This is not just an economic inquiry; it’s a heartfelt call to reimagine our priorities, to build a future where the fruit of our labor nourishes our souls and uplifts our communities, ensuring that no one is left behind. Let us embrace this opportunity for change with open hearts and minds, forging a path toward a more humane and nurturing world.

Viewing only paid activities as work is a grave misconception that diminishes the true essence of what it means to contribute to society. We must embrace a broader definition that recognizes all meaningful endeavors—those that enhance life quality and create enduring values—as vital forms of work. This perspective includes the invaluable contributions made through education, nurturing minds and souls for a better future.

Today, the relentless dance of growth and greed continues to ensnare our economy in an unbreakable grip, perpetuating the illusion of endless expansion. Profit has become the singular, dominant measure of success for businesses, often at the devastating expense of the ecosystems upon which our survival depends. Meanwhile, bureaucratic red tape suffocates innovation, fueling the chaos within organizations. Misguided entrepreneurs, chasing the mirage of limitless profit, have turned their enterprises into something akin to a cancer, threatening the very fabric of our economic health.

As we strive to produce faster, cheaper, and more efficiently, we inadvertently strip away the human element—the workers who are also our consumers. Unemployment rises, leading to diminished purchasing power and an increased social burden that affects us all. The stark truth emerges when jobs vanish, so too do consumers and taxpayers. This connection is undeniable: “No work, no economy.”

The fallout isn’t just economic; it’s profoundly social. We witness a dangerous polarization within our communities, leading to fractures that threaten our cohesion and provoke unrest. It’s time for a profound shift—one that redefines our perception of the economy, business, work, and the values that govern our lives. In an age where robots and intelligent machines take over vast swathes of production and value creation, we must forge new mechanisms for sharing the wealth generated by these advancements. We need a revolutionary reimagining of our economy, one that prioritizes human dignity over blind profit and cultivates a future in which every individual can contribute meaningfully, thrive, and find purpose. The journey is challenging but, together, we can pave the way to a more equitable and harmonious world for all.

About the Authors

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a professor and Senior Director of Research and Programs at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 85 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, stress, and resilience enhancement. In 2024 he was awarded a doctorate honoris causa (University of Huelva) and the IFSAM Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management Scholarship. He has published over 170 papers in scientific journals. He is an internationally sought-after speaker. His full CV is at: www.simondolan.com.

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organizations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy and Managing Director of Raich Futures Studies in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society.

Pedro César Martínez Morán is the Director of the Master in Talent Management Faculty at Advantere School of Management, affiliated with Comillas, Deusto and Georgetown Universities (www.advantere.org). He is a professor of Human Resources and researcher and scientific reviewer in Human Resources and Talent Management. Dr. Martínez Morán is an author and speaker on people management.

References

• Autor, D. H. (2015). “Why Are There Still So Many Jobs?”, Journal of Economic Perspectives. vol. 29, issue 3, 3-30

• Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The Second Machine Age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W.W. Norton & Co.

• Cazzaniga, M., Jaumotte, M. F., Li, L., Melina, M. G., Panton, A. J., Pizzinelli, C., and Tavares, M. M. (2024). “Gen-AI: Artificial intelligence and the future of work”. International Monetary Fund.

• Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. A. (2013). “The Future of Employment”. Published by the Oxford Martin Programme on Technology and Employment, University of Oxford. extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/future-of-employment.pdf

• Keynes, J. M. (1930). “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren”, in Essays in Persuasion (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1932): 358-373 (extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/files/content/upload/Intro_and_Section_I.pdf)

• Raich M., Klimek J., Dolan, S.L. Cisullo C., and Klimek S. Shaping Our World (Forthcoming Fall 2025)

• Raworth K. (2018) Doughnut Economics: The must-read book that redefines economics for a world in crisis. Random House.

• World Economic Forum. (2020). The “Future of Jobs” Report. (The Future of Jobs Report 2020 | World Economic Forum)

The post Reimagining Employment: Navigating the Promises and Perils of Artificial Intelligence appeared first on The European Business Review.

In an ever-evolving job market, embracing the future requires us to adapt and acquire new skills. Our article, “Equipping for Tomorrow: Unlocking New Skills for the Future of Work in 2033”, emphasizes the importance of leaving behind outdated skills and upskilling for the new landscape. Let’s foster a sense of optimism and readiness for the opportunities ahead!

Introduction

In a rapidly changing job landscape, embracing the future means adapting to new skills and opportunities. The title “Equipping for Tomorrow: Unlocking New Skills for the Future of Work in 2033” not only captures the essence of our message but also instills a sense of optimism and preparedness for what’s to come.

We hope this article will encourage you (the reader) to view the future as a realm of opportunities rather than challenges, and invites you to explore how you (and others in your firm) proactively cultivate the skills necessary to thrive in the evolving workplace.

According to Fred Eichwald in a recent German article, we can anticipate that by 2030, a staggering 70% of job skills will transform. He emphasizes that essential soft skills—such as adaptability, empathy, conflict resolution, and resilience—will be paramount for future success in the workforce.²

Adding to this insight, Simon L. Dolan, president and co-founder of the Global Future of Work Foundation, reveals that a study jointly conducted by the foundation and the Institute for the Futures (at Valkiria) in Barcelona’s innovative 22@ digital district, shows clearly that it’s not always the largest companies that come out on top; but those that are agile and innovative that manage to revolutionize their industries.³ This same study coined “DDOT – Digital Dictionary of Occupational Titles” reported that the most successful professionals in the technology industry were not those who mastered the latest APPs and technology, but those governed by a variety of soft skills that will be specified hereafter.

Considering these findings, we must adapt our understanding of the skills and competencies needed for tomorrow’s job market. Dolan highlights a crucial distinction between two types of skills: “hard” skills, which encompass essential knowledge and expertise, and “soft” skills, which are often more challenging for employers to find. These soft skills are emerging as key attributes that will enhance employability in the future.

This is an encouraging message for all of us. While the job market is evolving, it also opens numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. Embracing the development of both hard and soft skills will not only ensure your relevance in the future workplace but also empower you to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Some of the critical emerging future skills include:

• The ability to search for information and create trusted networks. It is necessary to have a professional who knows how to find vital information at the right time. In a world oversaturated with information, locating the information that really matters is complicated.
• Having proficiency in different languages and computer skills. Globalization makes it necessary to speak several languages; one language is no longer sufficient.
• Being creative (cognitive skills). The ability to learn, unlearn and relearn. Do not be afraid to get involved. When you do something new, you can make mistakes, but the basis is that you must learn constantly.
• The ability to negotiate and renegotiate, even with your worst enemy. Managing conflicts as a source of learning and managing stress and promoting well-being.
• Being proactive. The employees of the future will have to move with passion, always on the lookout for innovation.

What are the skills to be employable in 2030? Xavi Olba a consultant in digital strategy and innovation and member of the 22@ Community, talks about a basic skill for the job seekers of the future: “They must not be great possessors of knowledge, but they must be great managers of knowledge”. In addition, they must have highly developed emotional intelligence. To his list, he adds another set of core competencies.⁴

• The 2030 candidate must be himself, know what he wants and be honest. You must know the values that move you.
• You must know that things don’t often happen the first time and that you need to give your teams time.
• A much-overlooked skill is humility. Someone humble, Olba says, knows himself very well and knows his strengths and areas for development. He allows himself to be helped by his people. It is clear to him that he does not have an answer for everything. And, most importantly, they are passionate about continuous learning, but always from practice.
• Great Attitude. In other words, they are always on their best behavior. When he has to row, he rows. But when he must put his mind to it to see where the boat is going, he does.

What does this mean for you, your team and your company? Is there a reason for optimism?

In today’s rapidly changing landscape, we find ourselves amidst a whirlwind of technological leaps, social upheavals, and economic fluctuations that seem to redefine the world of work with each passing quarter. The pace of transformation is relentless, making what is relevant today feel outdated tomorrow. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in this environment, but it’s also essential to recognize the immense opportunities that these changes bring.

According to LinkedIn, 70 percent of the skills required in today’s professions will change by 2030.⁵ This is not a fictitious prediction of the future – it is a diagnosis of the present with an announcement. However, the reactions to this range from stoic ignorance to the hectic acquisition of further certificates. What is missing is a systemic rethink – among employees, managers and at the executive level. Also missing is a deep reflection of society leaders, including politicians and academics, in designing, charting and preparing for the new future of work. It is easy to be trapped in pessimism and agony, perhaps it will be better to draw a more optimistic scenario.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the magnificent potential of this technological revolution. Artificial intelligence and automation are not merely threats to job security; they are powerful tools that can enhance productivity and free individuals from mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. This shift invites us to rethink our roles and encourages an era of upskilling and reskilling. By embracing continuous learning and adaptability, every employee — regardless of position — can become empowered architects of their own career paths.

By embracing change and fostering a growth mindset, we enable ourselves — and our organizations — to innovate, evolve, and lead in this new era.

Social changes are prompting fresh perspectives on work-life balance and employee well-being. As we navigate these shifts, organizations could foster inclusive cultures that value diversity and encourage every voice to be heard. When we embrace these changes, we cultivate environments where collaboration and creativity flourish, leading to innovative solutions that address today’s challenges.

Moreover, while economic crises may add pressure, they are also catalysts for resilience and innovation. Businesses are being pushed to rethink their models, driving them to find creative ways to thrive in uncertainty. Those who embrace agility will not only weather the storm but emerge stronger and more adept at navigating future challenges.

There is no turning back, but that’s a good thing. The world of work is evolving, and you have the chance to be at the forefront of this transformation. Adaptation is not just survival; it’s an opportunity to thrive in a landscape rich with potential. By embracing change and fostering a growth mindset, we enable ourselves — and our organizations — to innovate, evolve, and lead in this new era.

So let us step boldly into the future together. Embrace the possibilities that technological advancements offer, champion social inclusivity, and harness resilience in the face of economic challenges. Together, we can navigate this dynamic world of work, transforming it into a landscape that not only benefits businesses but enriches our lives, careers, and communities.

In our rapidly evolving world, the pace of change can be both exhilarating and daunting. Technological leaps are reshaping the landscape of work, creating new opportunities that once seemed unimaginable. Every day, we witness advancements in artificial intelligence and automation, fundamentally altering how we operate and interact within our professional spheres. With these shifts come social upheavals that challenge our traditional mindsets and expectations about career trajectories and job security.

Yes, economic crises may seem to spring forth with alarming regularity, but within each crisis lies the potential for innovation and transformation. Instead of viewing these fluctuations as setbacks, we can harness them as catalysts for growth. The truth is that the world of work is in a state of permanent transformation, and embracing this evolution is crucial for our personal and collective success.

What was relevant yesterday may no longer have significance today, but rather than fearing obsolescence, let’s focus on the incredible opportunity for reinvention. This is our moment to be proactive learners and agile thinkers, ready to adapt and thrive in the face of change.

The landscapes of our careers are evolving at an unprecedented pace, calling for new skills, new strategies, and fresh perspectives to navigate the shifting terrain effectively. This can be an exciting journey—a call to explore uncharted territories and unlock your full potential.

The key lies in our willingness to embrace lifelong learning, cultivate curiosity, and step outside our comfort zones. Seek out professional development opportunities, engage in conversations with diverse teams, and immerse yourself in the latest innovations within your industry. Each step you take, no matter how small, contributes to your own growth and the brighter future of your organization.

And, what about the management of talent in this new landscape?

With the extraordinary advancements in technology, the landscape of recruiting and human resources is undeniably transforming. Tools like ChatGPT, automated recruiting systems, and generative AI models are reshaping how we connect, assess, and engage with talent. These innovations promise efficiency, increased productivity, and data-driven decision-making. However, amid this technological leap, we must shine a light on a crucial aspect that often gets overshadowed: the social, communicative, and psychological development of professionals in the field.

As we plunge into this new frontier of automated solutions, we risk creating a widening gap between rapid technological progress and the soft skills necessary for effective human interaction. Emotional intelligence, empathy, active listening, conflict resolution, and cultural awareness are timeless skills that form the bedrock of meaningful interpersonal relationships and effective teamwork.  Unfortunately, the pace of technological adoption often leaves little room for nurturing these vital human qualities, leading to a dichotomy that could hinder the overall effectiveness of our workforce.

Organizations must prioritize the development of their professionals alongside the integration of cutting-edge technology. By actively investing in training programs that focus on interpersonal skills, we can ensure that our workforce is not only proficient in using advanced tools but also equipped to thrive in an increasingly complex social landscape.

Companies that cultivate a culture of continuous learning and emotional growth will attract and retain top talent, who see value in an organization that invests in their holistic development.

Encouraging collaborative workshops, mentorship initiatives, and open dialogues can foster an environment where professionals enhance their emotional and social competencies. By pairing the power of AI with the art of human connection, we can create a balanced ecosystem that benefits individuals and organizations alike. Moreover, recognizing and addressing this gap can become a competitive advantage. Companies that cultivate a culture of continuous learning and emotional growth will attract and retain top talent, who see value in an organization that invests in their holistic development. Let’s spotlight this essential element of the workforce equation and advocate for a comprehensive approach to professional growth that harmonizes technological prowess with empathetic and effective communication.

In other words, while we stand at the precipice of a remarkable technological future, we must not overlook the human element at the heart of our professional experiences. By championing social and communicative maturity, we can ensure that our industries do not just keep pace with innovation but thrive in it, creating workplaces that are not only efficient and productive but also humane, inclusive, and thriving. Together, let’s embrace this journey for the betterment of everyone involved!

Some observations about Adaptability and the need for a new educational system

Hardly any other term is used so often and so rarely understood. This is because adaptability is often confused with mere flexibility, with the willingness to “think outside the box”. But it requires more: the ability to question established thought patterns, to rethink roles and not only to endure times of crisis, but to use them productively.

This form of inner flexibility is a psychological feat – especially for managers trained for years to exercise control and make quick decisions instead of self-critically questioning their own actions and demeanor.

But that is exactly what is needed now. Those who can no longer question themselves today will no longer be of any help to others tomorrow. And this is precisely where the problem lies: those who are supposed to lead and drive change are often incapable of change themselves.

There is a growing consensus that current education systems predominantly emphasize the acquisition of specialist hard skills, those technical competencies that can easily be quantified and measured. While these skills are undeniably important and necessary for specific job functions, they often overshadow the cultivation of essential soft skills that are critical for thriving in a dynamic work environment.

The current educational framework, focused on standardized testing and rigid curricula, often fails to equip students with these necessary soft skills. While students may excel at mastering specific subject matter, they may struggle to express their ideas, empathize with colleagues, or adapt to unexpected challenges in a real-world context. As we look to the future, we must reimagine education to promote a more holistic approach—one that values both hard and soft skills equally.

The good news is that change is already underway! Educators, employers, and policymakers are beginning to recognize the importance of developing a balanced skill set in students. Programs that incorporate project-based learning, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving are paving the way for more integrated approaches to education. Companies are also playing a pivotal role by offering internships and mentorship programs that blend hard and soft skill development, allowing young professionals to gain valuable experience that prepares them for the complexities of modern work.

By fostering environments that prioritize the growth and application of both hard and soft skills, we can empower the next generation to thrive. It’s a call to action for educators to reassess curricula, businesses to invest in comprehensive training programs, and individuals to embrace lifelong learning and self-improvement.

We hope that we can create a future where students and professionals alike are fully equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow, ensuring not only their success but also the collective progress of our communities and industries. Let’s champion this new vision of education that values and nurtures all the skills necessary for a fulfilling and productive career—after all, the future belongs to those who are prepared to seize it with both technical proficiency and the essential human qualities that drive collaboration and innovation.

Conclusions: what is really Needed now?

The soft skills list mentioned in this article is a pointer – but it is not enough. What we need is not another course on “adaptability”, “resilience” or “creativity”, but an honest examination of the blind spots in our work culture. These include:

• Leadership must be rethought – as a service to the development of others.
• Education needs to realign itself – away from exam knowledge and towards a culture of learning, personal development and metacognitive skills.
• Companies that demand change must create conditions under which development is possible at all – with time, trust and qualified support.
• Employees need to realize that the greatest security today lies not in the job itself, but in the ability to develop oneself further.

While the soft skills listed in this article serve as valuable pointers for personal and professional growth, they represent only a starting point in the journey toward true workplace transformation. What we need is a sincere and thoughtful reassessment of the underlying blind spots in our organizational culture.

To foster genuine development, we must rethink leadership as a service dedicated to uplifting others and create a supportive environment where growth is prioritized. Education, too, must evolve, shifting its focus from rote memorization and exams to a culture that values lifelong learning, personal development, and critical thinking. Moreover, companies that are serious about driving change must commit to establishing an environment that empowers employees through the necessary time, trust, and expert guidance; this is essential to create a foundation for continuous development.

And finally, all employees must recognize that true job security in today’s fast-paced world lies not solely in their current positions, but rather in their capacity to adapt and grow. By embracing this mindset, we can cultivate a more resilient workforce equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Let us all commit to this collective journey of reflection and change, building a brighter future together.

About the Authors

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is full professor, senior researcher and Director of Programs at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comilla, Deusto and Georgetown Universities). He is the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School. He has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referee journals. He is also the co-founder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). His work, consulting, and research is about values, leadership, coaching, stress management, and resilience, as well as issues connected to the future of work. He holds an MA and PhD from Carlson Graduate School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He is a former editor of cross-cultural management and member of the editorial board of half a dozen scientific journals. His full CV can be found at: www.simondolan.com

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organizations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy and Managing Director of Raich Futures Studies in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society.

Iolanda Triviño is a Futuristic Strategist & Talent Transformation Specialist. Her approach to collaborating with teams and organizations is driven by three key pillars: Creativity, Technology, and Community. With nearly 30 years of experience in the business sector, Iolanda has successfully led teams and managed projects, combining a strategic vision with agile and humanistic execution. Since 2014, she has served as the President of the Talent Commission for 22@Network, the IT and Innovation business association in Barcelona. In 2012, she founded Valkiria Hub Space, an innovation hub in Barcelona, and the International Open Innovation Community, focusing on the Future of Work and the Talent Transformation Institute for Futures (IFF). She is the co-author together with Simon L. Dolan and others, of an a forthcoming book titled Breaking the game: Leading in the era of disruption, due to be published in Spanish by McGraw Hill in Madrid.

References

1. The authors are part of a team that coauthored a forthcoming book (in Spanish) labeled Breaking the game:: Leading in the era of disruption, which will be published by McGraw Hill around the summer of 2025. The other two coauthors of the book are Dave Ulrich and Chad Albrecht.

2. https://arbeits-abc.de/job-skills-der-zukunft-fuer-arbeitnehmer/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-de-de

3. Yolanda Trivino – The Five Skills to be Employable in 2030 The five skills to be employable in 2030 – Valkiria Hub Space

4. Ibid

5. Work Change Report from LinkedIn (https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/research/work-change-report)

6. Mario Raich, Simon L. Dolan, Paweł Rowinski, Claudio Cisullo, Courtney Abraham and Jan Klimek (2019). Rethinking Future Higher Education. The European Business Review, January.

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By Iolanda Triviño, Simon L. Dolan, and Pedro Cesar Martinez

In the changing world of employment, it’s more important than ever to understand the shifts in talent dynamics that are defining our future as organizational models evolve to attract, develop, and retain talent. Here we explore the evolution of Talent 5.0 and discuss the imminent arrival of Talent 6.0.

 The dynamics of workplace talent are in a process of profound change. As we transition into Talent 5.0 and soon even to Talent 6.0, it is essential to recognize not just the technological advancements, but also the human experiences and emotions that shape our workplaces.

This article aims to reassure and empower you, whether you’re an employee navigating career changes, a leader seeking to nurture your team, or a curious individual contemplating the implications of these shifts. Together, we can embrace a future where human potential is prioritized alongside innovation, fostering environments that support collaboration, creativity, and compassion.

It is crucial to invest in technology that amplifies creativity and collaboration, without losing sight of the importance of human skills such as empathy and critical thinking.

As we inch closer to the concept of Talent 6.0—where innovation transcends mere skills to embrace creativity, empathy, and adaptability—it’s essential to create environments where individuals feel supported and valued. Companies must prioritize upskilling and reskilling initiatives that not only enhance technical capabilities but also strengthen interpersonal connections. By investing in people and encouraging continuous learning, organizations can create a narrative of progress that resonates with employees at all levels.

Talent 5.0 emerges in a context of radical transformation of work, driven by advanced technologies and the need for key humanistic skills. The evolution from Talent 1.0, focused on efficiency and mechanization, to Talent 4.0, with a focus on digitalization, has given rise to a new era where the integration between humans and machines is fundamental, but with a deeper purpose: to achieve human well-being. Talent 5.0 and Talent 6.0 combine advanced technology and human skills in a work model that not only responds to the needs of the present but shapes the future of organizations.

The meaning and origins of talent 5.0

Talent 5.0 marks a turning point in the evolution of human talent in the digital and globalized era. Unlike previous versions, which focused primarily on technical skills or specialized knowledge, Talent 5.0 emphasizes the convergence between technology and human skills. This concept is aligned with Society 5.0, which seeks a balance between technological advances and human well-being, placing people at the center of development.

Talent 5.0 is characterized by its ability to adapt to rapid changes, learn continuously, and collaborate with emerging technologies. This talent is nurtured by values such as inclusion, creativity, and transformational leadership, driving the transition towards more agile and flexible organizational models in the context of the Future of Work.

In addition, Talent 5.0 is not defined exclusively by technical skills, but also by a shift in the mindset oriented towards opening up to change and the ability to combine human skills (empathy, creativity, leadership) with technological tools. The professionals who embody this model are prepared to face uncertainty and generate innovative solutions in a constantly evolving world².

Defining the fundamental principles in the new era of talent?³ 

Principle 1: Adaptability and Continuous Learning.

The evolution of talent has gone from being a simple physical workforce (Talent 1.0) to becoming a key human capital for innovation (Talent 5.0).

In a rapidly changing environment, adaptability and the ability to learn continuously are critical. Organizations must implement reskilling and upskilling programs so that their employees remain competitive in an ever-evolving market. This is one of the keys to ensuring continuous innovation in Talent 5.0. Google, for example, has established a model where its employees can use up to 20 per cent of their working time to work on personal projects that also support their professional growth. This approach fosters a culture of innovation and allows employees to develop new skills that can be useful to the company.

Principle 2: Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and empowering teams, rather than just managing processes. This type of leadership is key in the era of Talent 5.0, as it allows for the integration of empathy, a long-term vision, and the use of new technologies. Transformational leadership fosters innovation and adaptation to change. During the pandemic, Microsoft took a transformative leadership approach. Under the direction of Satya Nadella, the company promoted a culture of empathy and encouraged its employees to adopt new technologies such as Teams to maintain remote collaboration. This type of leadership has been crucial in maintaining motivation and productivity in uncertain times.

Principle 3: Inclusion and Diversity as Drivers of Innovation

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental pillars to promote innovation in the Talent 5.0 environment. Diverse teams, in terms of gender, culture, and thinking, tend to be more creative and effective at solving problems. Companies that prioritize diversity experience better performance and higher financial performance. A report by Deloitte shows that companies with more diverse teams consistently outperform those that don’t prioritize diversity. Teams that value different perspectives and experiences are more innovative and resilient.⁴ The same message was echoed recently by Dolan et al., who showed the principal features of a resilient organization.⁵

Principle 4: Comprehensive Employee Well-Being

Well-being is a key component of Talent 5.0. Companies that create comprehensive programs that encompass the physical, emotional, mental, and financial health of their employees are more successful at retaining talent. Holistic well-being not only improves productivity, but also contributes to creating a stronger and more cohesive organizational culture.

Salesforce has implemented wellness policies that include mental health coaching and support services. In addition, the company offers work flexibility to help its employees achieve a healthy work-life balance, which has significantly improved engagement and satisfaction levels.

Principle 5: Technological and Human Partnerships

Technology plays a key role in Talent 5.0, but its true value lies in how it enhances human capabilities. Artificial intelligence, automation, and big data unleash human potential, allowing employees to focus on more strategic and creative tasks. It is crucial to invest in technology that amplifies creativity and collaboration, without losing sight of the importance of human skills such as empathy and critical thinking. Unilever, for example, uses AI to streamline its hiring process, but maintains final interviews with people to ensure that key decisions are empathetic and human.

The evolution of talent 5.0

The evolution of talent has gone from being a simple physical workforce (Talent 1.0) to becoming a key human capital for innovation (Talent 5.0). In Talent 5.0, the integration of technology with human skills creates a necessary balance to meet the challenges of the Future of Work. This model puts the human being at the center, leveraging technology to increase its impact while promoting well-being, diversity, and adaptability.

Envisioning Talent 6.0

The concept of Talent 6.0 would represent the culmination of these emerging and disruptive trends, where work will not only be more flexible, digital and collaborative, but also more personalized, ethical and symbiotic with technology. Organizations will need to prepare for a future where talent will not simply be a resource, but a collaborative partner in the constant transformation of society and the planet.

Conclusion

Organizations that integrate the harmonious coexistence of technology and human skill will find themselves not only enhancing productivity but also cultivating workplaces that prioritize humanity, inclusivity, and well-being.

Talent 5.0 and Talent 6.0 represent a new era in talent management, where technology and human skills must coexist in a balanced way. Organizations that adopt this approach will not only improve their productivity, but also create more humane, inclusive, and wellness-oriented work environments. As the world of work continues to evolve, Talent 5.0 will be key to continue in the form of Talent 6.0 and both will contribute to building a more equitable and prosperous Future of Work.

We argue that the transformation of organizational culture is one of the fundamental pillars for new organizational models to be successful in the era of Talent 5.0 and Talent 6.0. Structural and operational changes within an organization cannot be implemented effectively without a company culture that supports and empowers them. In other words, the shift in organizational culture is not just a necessity, it’s a vital cornerstone for thriving in the age of Talent 5.0 and Talent 6.0. As we navigate this transformative landscape, it’s clear that mere structural or operational changes are insufficient without a nurturing and supportive culture to back them up. Organizations that integrate the harmonious coexistence of technology and human skill will find themselves not only enhancing productivity but also cultivating workplaces that prioritize humanity, inclusivity, and well-being. As we embrace this evolution in how we work, it’s crucial to recognize that Talent 5.0 holds the promise of a more just and prosperous future, a future where every individual can thrive. With empathy and understanding at the heart of this journey, we can collectively foster an environment that empowers each member of the workforce, ensuring that we move forward together toward a brighter tomorrow.

About the Authors

Iolanda Triviño is a Futuristic Strategist & Talent Transformation Specialist. Her approach to collaborating with teams and organizations is driven by three key pillars: Creativity, Technology, and Community. With nearly 30 years of experience in the business sector, Iolanda has successfully led teams and managed projects, combining a strategic vision with agile and humanistic execution. Since 2014, she has served as the President of the Talent Commission for 22@Network, the IT and Innovation business association in Barcelona. In 2012, she founded Valkiria Hub Space, an innovation hub in Barcelona, and the International Open Innovation Community, focusing on the Future of Work and the Talent Transformation Institute for Futures (IFF). She is the co-author together with Simon L. Dolan and others, of an a forthcoming book titled The Future of Work & Talent 5.0,due to be published in Spanish by McGraw Hill in Madrid.

Simon L. Dolan is full professor, senior researcher and Director of Programs at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comilla, Deusto and Georgetown Universities). He is the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School. He has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referee journals. He is also the co-founder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). His work, consulting, and research is about values, leadership, coaching, stress management, and resilience, as well as issues connected to the future of work. He holds an MA and PhD from Carlson Graduate School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He is a former editor of cross-cultural management and member of the editorial board of half a dozen scientific journals. His full CV can be found at: www.simondolan.com

Pedro Cesar Martinez Moran is the Director of the Master’s in Talent Management at Advantere School of Management. He teaches at Universidad Pontificia Comillas and is also a member of academic research groups. In addition to his academic work, he has held various roles as a senior executive and consultant. Currently, he serves on the executive board of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com).

References

1. The article is based on Chapter 3 in a forthcoming book on the future of work that will be published in Spanish by the McGraw Hill company in Madrid. The authors wish to thank Mario Raich, Dave Ulrich and Chad Albrecht, coauthors of the digital textbook on The Future of Work (myeducator.com) for comments and suggestions on an earlier version of this paper.

2. For more, see Mario Raich, Simon Dolan, Dave Ulrich, and Claudio Cisullo (2017) “Gloom vs. Bloom of the Future of Work: Can We Chart a Positive Roadmap?”, The European Business Review, August 2.

3. To delve into the success story of Microsoft under the leadership of Satya Nadella, you can refer to the McKinsey article titled “Microsoft’s Next Act,” which analyzes how Nadella has driven innovation and organizational change within the company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/microsofts-next-act?utm_source=ccom

4. Deloitte reference article about DEI best practices and high-performance results in teams https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2017/diversity-and-inclusion-at-the-workplace.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

5. Simon L. Dolan, Adnane Belout, Jean-Luc Cerdin, and Javier Casademunt (2024), “Towards the Building of Organisational Resilience: Uncovering the Key Features”, The European Business Review, May 27.

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By Simon L. Dolan

The future of work is not just a matter of technology and efficiency; it’s about people. Many of us are navigating uncertainty, stress, and change, yearning for a workplace that understands and supports our diverse needs. Simon L. Dolan puts forward a sympathetic approach to reimagining the world of work.

In the evolving landscape of technological progress, we must prioritize empathy, balance, and inclusiveness, understanding that work is about more than productivity; it’s about nurturing well-being and fostering genuine connections. By focusing on compassion, we can create a work environment that not only adapts to the future but truly enhances the quality of life for every worker. Together, let’s envision a workplace where every person feels valued, supported, and inspired to thrive.

Over the past several years, I have embarked on a profound journey to investigate the evolving landscape of the future of work. This endeavor is not merely an academic pursuit; it is a passionate exploration into possibilities that will shape the lives of generations to come. Envisioning the future is undeniably complex and, yes, it carries significant risk; no one can claim to possess a crystal ball that reveals the unfolding narrative ahead. I recognize that I may not live to witness the realization of my visions and predictions, yet that reality does not deter me in my pursuit.

Work is about more than productivity; it’s about nurturing well-being and fostering genuine connections.

In my research, I have delved deeply into emerging trends and the interconnected currents of several mega-trends that offer glimpses into what lies ahead. This exploration is not just about data; it is a heartfelt engagement with the hopes and fears of individuals navigating an uncertain world. I write books and articles that weave together science, imagination, and a glimpse into human experience. Each piece reflects the complexities of our shared journey toward a new era.

Moreover, my involvement in a global conference tour has provided a platform to share these insights with diverse audiences. It is an awe-inspiring experience to gauge their reactions—a blend of curiosity, intrigue, and inspiration. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, serving as encouragement not just for me but for all of us who dare to dream of a brighter future. Together, we can illuminate the path ahead, transforming uncertainty into opportunity for a more harmonious and innovative work environment.

In this ever-evolving landscape of our modern world, it becomes increasingly crucial to acknowledge and understand the mega-trends that are shaping our collective future. At the heart of this transformation lies a series of groundbreaking technological advancements, particularly in the realms of artificial intelligence, remote and virtual work environments, and the burgeoning collaboration between humans and robots. These shifts are not merely abstract concepts; they are tangible changes that have profound implications for each of us and for the entire workforce.

Imagine a workplace where AI handles mundane tasks, freeing up human workers to engage in more creative and meaningful endeavors. Envision a world where geographical boundaries no longer limit employment opportunities, allowing individuals to work remotely from anywhere on the globe while remaining connected to their teams in ways that were previously unimaginable. This new reality presents remarkable opportunities, but it also comes with significant challenges that we cannot afford to overlook.

As we embrace these technological advancements, we must also grapple with the consequences that accompany them. The economy as we know it is on the brink of a transformation that demands our attention and foresight. New features and norms will emerge, and it is imperative that we not only adapt to these changes but also monitor them closely. Inaction or negligence in navigating this transition could plunge us into chaos—a landscape marked by obsolescence for some, and a struggle for survival for others. The risk of social and economic disparities growing more pronounced looms larger than ever.

This is not merely an academic discussion; it is a wake-up call for all of us. It is crucial that we approach this shift with empathy and responsibility. Policymakers, business leaders, and individuals alike must engage in thoughtful conversations about the ethical implications of these technologies. We must actively seek to include diverse perspectives in shaping a future that benefits everyone rather than perpetuates inequalities.

In the future, another overarching mega-trend stands out: the emergence of a borderless global economy. In this increasingly interconnected landscape, traditional boundaries are disappearing, making the world feel more like a village than a collection of separate nations. For today’s graduates, whether from universities or technical schools, this reality signals a crucial shift in perspective. Their futures are no longer tethered to local markets or economies; success now hinges on embracing a global outlook.

Without this understanding and a corresponding change in mindset, many young professionals may find themselves struggling in an environment that feels overwhelming and even desperate. As the world evolves into a global community, the path to success will demand more than just domain-specific hard skills. It calls for an arsenal of soft skills as well, including proficiency in multiple languages and the ability to adapt to diverse work cultures. These competencies are no longer optional; they are essential for navigating the realities of global mobility.

Recent studies underscore this urgency. For instance, it has become increasingly clear that simply being technologically savvy is no longer sufficient for ensuring career success. Skills like resilience, effective teamwork, and the ability to balance professional and personal life are critical. In fact, these soft skills often make the difference between thriving and merely surviving in the workforce.

Moreover, graduates must recognize that their academic training comes with an expiration date. The skills and knowledge they acquire today may quickly lose relevance in an ever-evolving job market. As such, cultivating a mindset of continuous learning—an attitude of auto-upskilling—is imperative. Embracing lifelong learning is no longer just a guiding principle; it’s a necessity for staying competitive and relevant.

The challenge of fostering perpetual creativity is more relevant than ever in today’s fast-paced world. Past successes, whether of individuals, companies, or sports teams, do not guarantee future triumphs. Take, for instance, prominent football clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City, both of which have faced unexpected downturns despite their illustrious histories. In such moments, the instinctive solution for these organizations has traditionally been to replace the head coach. However, this approach oversimplifies a more profound issue: to inspire and engage their highly skilled, expensive teams, new managers must cultivate innovative ideas that breathe fresh life into the squad.

Creativity, while often deemed an elusive and magical quality, is traditionally hard to define, much less teach. Yet, it plays a crucial role not only in transforming teams but also in navigating the complex landscape of success. Importantly, embracing creativity requires a courageous spirit; it invites us to shift gears even amid prevailing success, challenging the notion that we should rest on our laurels. Acknowledging that failure is a possibility, we must ask ourselves how we can cultivate a culture of creativity at various levels, be it within nations, corporations, or among individuals.

As we ponder this question, it becomes clear that the future will demand a commitment to what I call “perpetual creativity.” This dynamic mindset will empower us to experiment, innovate, and adapt, laying the groundwork for sustainable success. It is essential that we embrace this challenge. After all, while creativity alone doesn’t promise victory, not pursuing it all but guarantees stagnation. The bravery to explore uncharted territories and envision new possibilities is what will eventually differentiate the leaders of tomorrow.

Creativity, while often deemed an elusive and magical quality, is traditionally hard to define, much less teach. Yet, it plays a crucial role not only in transforming teams but also in navigating the complex landscape of success.

As we reflect on these realities, it’s essential to adopt a sympathetic approach. We understand that this transition can be daunting for new graduates. The pressure to adapt to a global economy can lead to feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. However, by encouraging young professionals to embrace this shift and equipping them with the tools to succeed, we can foster a generation that is not only prepared to face the challenges of a borderless world, but also empowered to thrive within it. The future is indeed bright for those willing to rise to the occasion and continuously invest in their personal and professional growth.

With comprehensive planning and a commitment to inclusivity, we can harness the potential of these advancements to create a more equitable society. We face challenges that may feel daunting, but by collectively addressing them with a compassionate mindset, we can pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future. The stakes are undeniably high, yet with unity, awareness, and intentional action, we can navigate this transformative era with hope and resilience.

In a world often dominated by uncertainty and chaos, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face. While I may not have the foresight of a prophet or the clarity of a crystal ball, I am compelled to step forward and offer a compassionate blueprint for our collective journey ahead.

Imagine, for a moment, a society built on empathy and understanding—one where the well-being of everyone is prioritized as a cornerstone of communal success³. This is not just a distant dream; it is a tangible goal that we can work towards together. Through thoughtful dialogue and genuine engagement, we can cultivate a culture that values kindness over competition and collaboration over isolation. Our blueprint starts with listening—truly listening—to the voices marginalized by circumstances and reframing our narratives to include their experiences. Each of us has the power to infuse compassion into our daily lives and, by doing so, we create a ripple effect that can change our communities for the better.

As we embark on this journey, it is essential to remember that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength that opens the door to connection. In crafting our compassionate blueprint, we must embrace our shared humanity, recognizing that by uplifting others, we inevitably uplift ourselves.

Let us dare to envision a future where compassion paves the way for hope and healing. It is within our grasp to design a society that reflects our deepest values and aspirations. Together, we can transform the present narrative into one filled with promise and possibility, because every step taken with compassion is a step towards a brighter tomorrow.

In closing, I recognize that some of you might see me as just a dreamer, an idealist lost in a world of wishes. And I completely understand if that’s how you feel. But in the spirit of the festive season, I found sparks of inspiration that I feel compelled to share. My hope is that by laying out this vision for a brighter future, I can ignite something within your desire to act and make a difference. As my dear friend Prof. Mario Raich often reminds me, “we face a choice: we can passively accept the future crafted by others, or we can step forward and actively shape our own lives, our own destinies, and perhaps even the very fabric of our society”.⁴ It is within our reach to turn dreams into reality—but it requires courage and commitment from all of us. Let’s not wait for change to happen; let’s be the change we wish to see. Together, we can create a future that reflects our deepest hopes and shared values.

About the Author

Dr. Simon L. Dolan (alias Dr. Simon) is a researcher, author, management consultant, and very solicited speaker, a prolific author (over 85 books), and the creator of the Leading, Managing and Coaching by Values concept, methodology and tools. He has recently created the STRESS MAP tool, and the Stress2Resilience online app. He serves as the president of the Global Future of Work Foundation. Prof. Dolan is currently at Advantere School of Management. In 2024, he was awarded the Doctorate Honoris Cause (University of Huelva, Spain), and he was the 2023 recipient of the IFSAM Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management. Website: www.simondolan.com. Contact: info@simondolan.com

References

1. For more information, see Simon L. Dolan, Mario Raich, Dave Ulrich and Chad Albrecht (2024) “The Future of Work”, myeducator.com, a state-of-the-art creative book with 15 chapters and angles on the future of work. The digital version has just been released. The book version (in Spanish) is led by Iolanda Trevino and will be published in 2025 by McGraw Hill.

2. See Simon L. Dolan, Anat Garti, Miriam Diez Pinol, and Pedro Cesar Martinez Moran (2024) “The 10 Core Habits of Resilient People: Concept and Tools for Resiliency and Wellness Professionals”, The European Business Review, September 20.\

3. Salvador García Sánchez and Simon L. Dolan (2023) “The Eutopia of Engaging in Unconditional Kindness to Self and Others”, The European Business Review, November 21.

4. Kristine M. Kawamura, Mario Raich, Simon L. Dolan, Dave Ulrich and Claudio Cisullo (2023) “The Art of Future Design – Part I: Framing, Assessing, and Identifying Relevant Contexts”, The European Business Review, July 9; Kristine M. Kawamura, Mario Raich, Simon L. Dolan, Dave Ulrich and Claudio Cisullo (2023) “The Art of Future Design – Part II: Deployment, Wholeness, and Impact on Human Beings”, The European Business Review, September 24.

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By Mario Raich, Simon L. Dolan, and Claudio Cisullo

In a world where everything seems to change with increasing frequency, we risk becoming more blasé about every new shift that comes along and failing to appreciate just how huge its consequences may be. That “latest big thing” just might be a transformation.

The objective of this article is to describe the magnitude of the transformation that is occurring nowadays around us (business, society, and the world), and to suggest that we are not prepared for this deep transformation. We will describe the so called “deep transformation” and identify the paths needed to undertake a mind shift in order to have a meaningful life amid this tectonic transformation.

At its core, the concept of transformation goes beyond mere change.

At its core, the concept of transformation goes beyond mere change. Change often refers to specific adjustments or modifications; for example, in a company a change may be a new marketing strategy or a shift in company policy. Transformation, on the other hand, involves a fundamental rethinking and reshaping of an organization’s values, culture, processes, and overall direction. It requires a comprehensive overhaul, touching every aspect of the entity involved.

And, most important, in transformation there is no way of going back.

In today’s rapidly evolving world, both businesses and societies are experiencing profound transformations fueled by various factors. Here are the principles:

1. Technological Advancement

The digital revolution has radically altered how we communicate, collaborate, and conduct business. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are not just tools; they are catalysts that redefine how organizations operate and engage with their customers. This shift necessitates a transformation in workforce skills, leadership approaches, and even business models.²

2. Globalization

The interconnectedness of the global economy has forced businesses to transform to remain competitive. This means adopting more agile practices, embracing cultural diversity, and understanding the complexities of international markets. Societal transformation is also evident as cultures blend and adapt in response to global influences.

3. Sustainability

With growing awareness of environmental issues, businesses are now transforming their operational strategies to be more sustainable. This can involve rethinking supply chains, adopting circular economic principles, and striving for transparency in practices. Societal expectations are changing, with consumers increasingly favoring brands that prioritize ethical practices and sustainability.³

4. Social Movements and Change

Recent societal shifts, sparked by movements focused on equity, inclusion, and justice, are driving transformation at multiple levels. Companies are reevaluating their roles in society, looking closely at their diversity initiatives, corporate social responsibility efforts, and community engagement strategies. This requires a fundamental shift in corporate philosophies, not just a change in policies.

5. Workforce Dynamics

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated shifts in how we work. Remote work, flexible job arrangements, and the gig economy are now significant parts of professional life. Organizations must transform their HR practices, leadership models, and employee engagement strategies to adapt to a new reality where traditional workplaces are evolving or even becoming obsolete.

The need for a transformational mindset

As businesses and societies navigate these transformations, a transformational mindset becomes crucial. This involves:

Visionary Leadership

Leaders must articulate a clear vision that resonates with employees and stakeholders. They should be able to inspire a collective effort toward embracing change and innovation.

Agility and Flexibility

Organizations must remain adaptable, ready to pivot or iterate their strategies in response to new challenges or opportunities that arise within the transforming landscape.

Empowered Culture

Fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, open communication, and learning from failure is essential. Employees should feel empowered to contribute to the transformation process.

Collaboration and Inclusivity

Engaging diverse perspectives not only enriches problem-solving but also fosters innovation. Collaboration across departments and with external partners can lead to more holistic and innovative solutions.

Human fundamental concerns amid the radical world transformation

Whether we like it or not, the past is gone for good; a new future lies ahead.

Have you ever wondered what your future is? And what the future of our species is? Or what the world of future generations will be? Did you wonder about the value of your life, for yourself and future generations? Did you ever go through the anguish of thinking about the afterlife?

These are the kinds of questions that represent the shaping of our lives. Life is a maze of different kinds of relationships.

• Life shaping means managing direction and action in life.
• Life shaping means overcoming unexpected changes (i.e., coping with unexpected events).
• Life shaping means experiencing life (i.e., understanding and taking part in the maze of
  life at the different levels of individuals, group, team, community, society, and even humanity).

Not only business but our entire world has entered a period of deep, global, and all-encompassing transformation. Everything will be turned upside down. So far, only a few people seem to be aware of how far-reaching the outcomes of this transformation will be. Most people have just registered that something weird is going on. We are in the middle of the transition from the industrial to the cyber-economy and cyber-society. The effects are like shifts of tectonic plates, leading to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and changing entire landscapes. The feeling of instability is noticeable everywhere.

So far, only a few people seem to be aware of how far-reaching the outcomes of this transformation will be.

We are discovering that reality is non-sequential, non-systemic and, in multiple cases, asymmetric. Models and concepts based on former thinking can no longer help with what is happening around us. Thus, we need to change our view of the world so that, if we are lucky, it will help us to develop new concepts and models based on organic, systemic, and holistic thinking.

True, everything flows! But it flows in a very disruptive manner. Exploring the “New Reality” will bring us more questions than answers, but this is not the core problem. We argue that in the New Reality it is more important to opt for the right questions than to get answers that may become instantly obsolete. To reiterate Christensen’s argument in “How Will You Measure Your Life?”, in which he discusses the significance of pursuing meaningful questions in a changing landscape, the right questions can guide you toward a fulfilling life and decisions, rather than being fixated solely on finding definitive answers.⁴

The competence of asking the right question is a pivotal skill that fosters deeper understanding and drives insightful conversations. It involves not only clarity of thought but also active listening and an awareness of context. By framing questions thoughtfully, we can unlock new perspectives, elicit meaningful responses, and guide discussions toward productive outcomes. This skill transcends various domains, from education to leadership, as the ability to probe effectively enhances problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, and fosters collaboration. Ultimately, asking the right questions is an art that cultivates inquiry, discovery, and growth.

Are we going through a turning point in history?

The transition from the industrial age into the cyber-age is a huge challenge, but also a unique opportunity for enterprises and corporations. To participate in this development, we need foresight, the right education, the necessary technological infrastructure, and ample entrepreneurial spirit. A multi-reality world in transition requires permanent focus on the actual, the emerging, and the future context. It also requires permanent awareness about contextual changes and future orientation. In a world in transition, we need a process focused on the desired future and not just on the expected one. Businesses that keep on focusing overwhelmingly on past successes have no future. Tomorrow, everything may change. The passive expectation vs active shaping of the future is depicted in exhibit 1.

Hope is a key value that may help leaders to avoid the worst-case scenarios and focus on future vision. Simply spreading optimism seems to be futile; what is needed are real visionary leaders who engage in action. Fortunately, these exist. Exhibit 2 proposes some examples of visionary leaders who are transforming the landscape and preparing for the future. These individuals are not only visionary in their thinking but also actively working to implement their ideas and drive progress in their respective fields.

Completing the missing puzzle: moving from the expected into the desired future

Our personal future depends to a large extent on the future of others, such as those that are important to us, organizations that are relevant to us, the society that we live in, and of course broader contexts such as our history and the state of science and technology available in our community. These last are super-dynamic and embrace constant changes; they are all in a state of deep transformation.

The more we move from the expected towards the desired future, and the stronger we are in living our own lives, the bigger our impact will be on those futures.

Our short presence in this world will leave only marginal imprints. For most of us, no trace will remain. So, in this type of world, what should we do to enable a more meaningful life? The answer is simple: The more we move from the expected towards the desired future, and the stronger we are in living our own lives, the bigger our impact will be on those futures. But ultimately it depends on us whether it is a positive impact or negative one. We decide whether our life is meaningful for us and our environment, or not. We do not exist alone, and we may choose to impact other people.

Often, we do not realize this choice: whether to spend our lives in blessed ignorance, happy with whatever happens, or take up the challenge and aim beyond this. Our future these days is loaded with an overwhelming array of problems, issues, and crises which lie along the way towards a good future. We are torn between two contradictory options: preventing or avoiding looming problems. The time has come to stop waiting for opportunities and to create them ourselves! People don’t get mature and wise by aging; they just get old! It is necessary to work on our own development at each stage of our life and our career. If we stop this process, then we have reached the end. Exhibit 4 shows drivers of transformation and possible expected outcomes.

Our objective should be to be better than before, not just “more of the same”. Our life is a blended voyage of serendipity, wonderings, and disasters. If there is no future, everything looks meaningless and hopeless. The future is the most important dimension of our lives.⁵

Macrotrends and paradigm shifts

Creativity and entrepreneurship are the main driving forces of human civilization. Artificial intelligence and cyber-reality are powerful forces, both pushing into a new dimension. To avoid the trap of the greed-driven economy, there is a need to focus on quality of life.

The paradigm shift includes the following changes:
From greed to mutual respect, tolerance, and trust.
From growth to care.

As of today, we have an overwhelming focus on profit, which leads to distortions in the meaning of economy and ignoring the negative collateral impacts on society and the environment. For example, we accept the harmful and damaging impact of CO₂ on the environment and can barely agree to reach CO₂ neutrality, instead aiming at an overall reduction below the harmful limits.

In principle, the purpose of economy is to provide meaningful products and services for individuals and society. It is also important to insist on the role of work, which gives meaning to our lives. Since good relationships are the most important basis for a healthy and happy life, work-related relationships may have an important role to play as well. In his writings, Dave Ulrich, a prominent figure in the field of human resources and organizational development, often emphasizes the significance of meaningful work. One of his key phrases reflects this concept:

“Meaningful work is the bedrock of human dignity and organizational success.”⁶

Finally, creativity and innovation need entrepreneurship to be implemented. AI, automation, digitalization, robotics, 3D printing, and others have a strong impact on all working activities. An increasing amount of human work can be done by machines. Value creation and value distribution will have to change fundamentally. We tend to forget that, besides the paid work we do for others, we all also work for ourselves, our family, neighbors, and other people and organizations. It is often caring work labeled as a social activity. This perception may and should be changing.

Exhibit 5 summarizes concrete actions designed to become part of the desired future.

We must fight to ensure both that we have a future and that it is a future worth having.⁷ If we miss it, it may take centuries or even millennia to regain the advanced civilization we enjoy now. But we may as well lose it forever. This time, humanity risks being part of the sixth mass extinction.⁸

Conclusion

Our life is a journey to the unknown, full of surprises and challenges. The journey is the purpose. We can decide largely about the direction we want to take. Obviously, we can just drift, but then we risk following other people’s directions.

Given the deep transformation that is looming on the horizon, we need to adopt a more proactive attitude and move from the expected future to the desired future. It is this that will enhance the quality of our lives. But, for this to happen, we need to understand what is going on in the period of deep transformation in business and society. The voyage to a desired future will involve our imagination and a firm stand and adaptation of new paradigms that will serve as a guiding compass. This article is not intended to provide a solution to all future issues, but to raise the level of consciousness of what is happening and perhaps create a wish list for actions. We should never forget that we live only here and now. Tomorrow is a bridge to the day after tomorrow!

If you promise people gold, you will harvest greed. If you bring people hope, you can win their hearts. And, if you teach people to trust each other, they may again have a real future.

Dreams are changing the world.
Let’s dream together about a better world!

About the Authors

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organizations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy and Managing Director of Raich Futures Studies in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society.

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a professor and Senior Director of Research and Programs at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 85 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, stress and resilience enhancement. In 2024 he was awarded a doctorate honoris causa (University of Huelva) and the IFSAM Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management Scholarship.. He has published over 170 papers in scientific journals. He is an internationally sought speaker. His full CV is at: www.simondolan.com.

Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office, CC Trust Group AG, and the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG with headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company.

References

1. See for example: Raich and Dolan (2008) Beyond: Business and Society in Transformation, Palgrave Macmillan, London.

2. See for example: McKinsey Global Institute Report “The Future of Work: How New Technologies are Transforming the Workplace” (2019): World Economic Forum, “The Global Technology Governance Report 2021”; Harvard Business Review, “Technology as a Tool for Transformational Change” (2020); PwC Report** “Technology and the Future of Work” (2021); MIT Technology Review, “The Tech That Matters in 2021”.

3. World Economic Forum, “The Future of Business: 2020-2030”; Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston (2006), “Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage”.

4. TEDx Boston : https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Christensen+argument+in+%22How+Will+You+Measure+Your+Life?&mid=E568FEC5D87E03259EB2E568FEC5D87E03259EB2&FORM=VIRE

5. Based on a forthcoming book by Raich et al (2025) “Shaping our future: Moving from expected towards the desired future”

6. For a deeper understanding, see Dave Ulrich’s book with Younger and Brockbank (2012, McGraw Hill) HR from the Outside In, where they discuss how organizations can create environments that foster meaningful work.

7. William MacAskill, “The Beginning of History. Surviving the Era of Catastrophic Risk”, Foreign Affairs, September/October 2022, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/william-macaskill-beginning-history

8. Recent estimates suggest that extinction threatens up to a million species of plants and animals, in large part because of human activities such as deforestation, hunting, and overfishing. Other serious threats include the spread of invasive species and diseases from human trade, as well as pollution and human-caused climate change. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/mass-extinction/

The post Reimagining the Future: Unleashing the Deep Transformation and its Impact on Business, Society, and the Quality of our Lives appeared first on The European Business Review.

Introduction

In an era characterized by rapid technological advancxements, demographic shifts, and evolving workplace dynamics, the role of Human Resources (HR) is facing unprecedented challenges. As we look toward 2025 and beyond, organizations must prepare to navigate a landscape marked by megachallenges that will reshape the nature of work and employee engagement. From harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and data analytics to fostering inclusivity and adapting to remote work paradigms, HR professionals are at the forefront of these transformative changes. This article looks into the megachallenges for HR in the coming years, exploring strategies to not only survive but thrive in an increasingly complex environment. Join us as we uncover the implications of these challenges and the innovative solutions that will define the future of HR.

To understand the need for HR transformation, let’s first have a look at the current global pulse.

The context: economic, social, environmental, and technological shifts

The global economic scene

Central banks, such as the European Central Bank (ECB), the Federal Reserve in the US, and others worldwide, aim to maintain inflation targets, often around 2%, to foster stable economic environments. These adjustments are carefully monitored as they impact global trade, currency values, and economic stability, influencing everything from consumer prices to international capital flows.

Economies around the world will continue to benefit from an influx of predominantly young, able-bodied, and active workers, which can help to counteract aging populations and labor shortages.

China’s slower growth marks a significant shift for the world’s second-largest economy, which has long been a driver of global economic expansion. After decades of rapid development fueled by manufacturing, exports, and urbanization, China’s growth rate has decelerated due to a combination of factors, including an aging population, high levels of debt, and decreasing productivity. This slowdown affects not only China but also the global economy, as countries that rely on Chinese trade and investment face reduced demand.

Governments worldwide are facing escalating costs tied to their health systems and infrastructure, driven in large part by the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and unpredictable seasonal patterns are not only straining public health by increasing rates of respiratory and infectious diseases but are also damaging critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and water systems. As these natural disasters intensify, repair and adaptation costs soar, putting additional pressure on government budgets.

The Global Social Scene

Aging population

The World Bank’s forecasts (2024) indicate a continuous trend of global population aging. According to these projections, individuals aged 65 and over made up 10% of the world population in 2024, doubling the initial percentage of around 5% recorded in 1960. This demographic shift has significant implications for economies, healthcare systems, and social structures worldwide.

World Migration

Conflicts and instability in various regions have triggered large-scale migration, with people seeking refuge in countries that offer safety and better economic opportunities. This wave of migration creates additional pressure on host nations’ resources, infrastructure, and social systems.

Economies around the world will continue to benefit from an influx of predominantly young, able-bodied, and active workers, which can help to counteract aging populations and labor shortages. However, concerns persist about the potential strain on infrastructure, health system, public services, and social cohesion due to these new arrivals, often fueling political and social tensions. In advanced economies, the strategic use of job offers, visas, and educational opportunities will become a crucial tool in addressing skills gaps and attracting talent to fill key roles in sectors facing shortages. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), key migration indicators have shown significant increases, as illustrated in Exhibit 1 next page. These figures underscore the growing scale and complexity of global migration, with rising numbers of migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people.

The Environmental Scene

Minerals scarcity and ecological transition to green energy

The struggle for natural resources and the ecological transition are interconnected with global challenges. As populations and economies grow, competition for resources like water, minerals, and fossil fuels increases, leading to conflicts between nations and regions. This struggle is often driven by scarcity and the uneven distribution of resources, which can disrupt geopolitical stability and harm ecosystems. The ecological transition aims to address these challenges by shifting toward sustainable resource management and renewable energy sources. By reducing dependence on finite resources like fossil fuels, the transition promotes energy efficiency and conservation, helping to mitigate resource-based conflicts.

The fight for critical minerals highlights a global race to secure essential resources like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, vital for technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced electronics. These minerals are crucial for the transition to green energy. As demand surges, competition among nations has intensified, raising concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities, environmental impacts of mining, and ethical issues, including labor practices.

The technological, data management, and the ungoverned AI scene

Data shapes our world by driving insights, enabling personalization, supporting AI and machine learning, enhancing decision-making, raising privacy concerns, and transforming industries globally.

The rise of ungoverned AI refers to the rapid development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies without sufficient regulatory oversight or ethical guidelines. As AI systems grow more powerful and integrated into critical sectors like healthcare, finance, law enforcement, and social media, the lack of governance poses risks such as algorithmic bias, privacy invasion, job displacement, and even threats to democracy through misinformation. Ungoverned AI could exacerbate inequalities, enable surveillance, and lead to unintended consequences that are difficult to control once systems are widely implemented. While some governments and organizations are working to establish AI policies, the pace of technological advancement often outstrips regulatory efforts, leading to calls for urgent, coordinated global frameworks to ensure AI serves society safely and ethically.

The Megachallenges for HR in 2025 and beyond

HR professionals must develop competencies that enable them to be strategic partners, credible activists, change champions, HR innovators, integrators, capability builders, and technology proponents.

There are distinct angles to which the megatrends in HR can be introduced. The most interesting framework is the one proposed by Dave Ulrich and his colleagues.  In their latest research, they emphasize the importance of HR in driving business success through talent management, leadership development, and organizational capabilities. Ulrich’s research also highlights the need for HR professionals to develop specific competencies to meet contemporary business challenges. The key insights of their approach include the following:ⁱⁱ

Outside-In Focus in HR

HR should focus on helping organizations succeed in the marketplace by aligning HR activities with external business needs, such as customer and investor expectations.

HR Competencies and Business Performance

HR professionals must develop competencies that enable them to be strategic partners, credible activists, change champions, HR innovators,
integrators, capability builders, and technology proponents. These competencies are crucial for enhancing business performance.

HR as a Strategic Partner

HR should play a critical role in strategy execution, organizational design, employee advocacy, and continuous change management. This strategic involvement helps in delivering organizational excellence and increasing shareholder value.

Talent Management and Value Creation

Effective talent management involves creating, capturing, leveraging, and protecting value through well-designed talent management architectures. This approach integrates various theories and practices to optimize the value derived from human capital.

Improving HR Departments and Professionals

HR departments can be assessed and improved based on specific dimensions, and HR professionals should master competencies that help them deliver value. Continuous improvement in HR practices and professional development is essential for maintaining relevance in a rapidly changing business environment.

While the work of  Ulrich and his colleagues represents the forefront of HR trends and challenges, we have decided to add several complementary trends that perhaps are of utmost importance in the European continent.

1. Supporting the Transition for Upcoming Retirees

As retirement nears, individuals often face uncertainties about income security, healthcare, and lifestyle changes. Effective preparation includes offering financial education on retirement savings, investment strategies, and pension planning to help them optimize their resources.

The workforce is becoming older, and retirement is becoming a major concern to organizations and society. Preparing to provide relief for those approaching retirement involves addressing their financial, social, and emotional needs to ensure a smooth transition. As retirement nears, individuals often face uncertainties about income security, healthcare, and lifestyle changes. Effective preparation includes offering financial education on retirement savings, investment strategies, and pension planning to help them optimize their resources. Employers can also provide retirement transition programs, which focus on mental well-being and strategies for maintaining social connections post-retirement. Access to comprehensive healthcare plans is essential to address medical needs as people age. Additionally, creating opportunities for part-time or flexible work can help individuals adjust gradually while maintaining a sense of purpose. By supporting these areas, society and employers can ensure a more secure, fulfilling retirement for those leaving the workforce.ⁱⁱⁱ

2. Returning to In-Person Work: Boosting Productivity and Efficiency

Organizations that are planning to transition back to in-person work face a range of challenges and opportunities. Many are focusing on creating hybrid models, blending remote flexibility with the benefits of in-office collaboration. Key considerations include ensuring employee safety through health protocols, adapting workspaces for social distancing, and fostering a sense of community after long periods of remote work. Some companies are emphasizing the importance of in-person teamwork for innovation and productivity, believing it strengthens organizational culture. Others are mindful of employee preferences for remote work, seeking to balance flexibility with the need for on-site presence. The transition requires clear communication, adjustments to technology and infrastructure, and a commitment to supporting employees’ well-being as they adapt to new routines and expectations.

3. Artificial Intelligence, Data and HR

People analytics transform workplaces by using data to improve hiring, enhance employee engagement, optimize performance, support decision-making, predict trends, and foster organizational growth. The integration of AI in HR management presents both opportunities and challenges for the future. AI can streamline recruitment, enhance employee engagement, and improve decision-making through predictive analytics. It helps HR teams analyze large data sets for talent acquisition, performance tracking, and personalized training. However, challenges include maintaining data privacy, ensuring fairness and transparency in AI-driven decisions, and addressing concerns over potential job displacement. HR professionals must balance leveraging AI for efficiency while fostering a human-centric workplace culture. Additionally, upskilling HR staff to manage and collaborate with AI tools will be crucial. Navigating these challenges requires thoughtful integration of AI to enhance, rather than replace, the human elements of HR management.

4. Beyond the Work-Life Balance

Beyond work-life balance emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to well-being, where work and personal life are integrated in a way that supports overall fulfillment. Rather than simply balancing hours, it involves creating flexibility to accommodate diverse personal needs and aspirations. This perspective recognizes that work can be a source of purpose and social connection, while also allowing space for family, hobbies, and self-care. It encourages a focus on mental health, meaningful engagement, and adaptable work structures. Ultimately, this approach aims to foster a more sustainable lifestyle that goes beyond equilibrium, supporting long-term personal and professional growth.

5. Issues of Sustainability

The  connection between sustainability  and Human Resources (HR) is an increasingly important topic in today’s business landscape. HR plays a critical role in fostering a culture of sustainability within organizations, driving social responsibility, and aligning corporate practices with sustainable goals. Exhibit 2 shows a deeper look at this connection.

The intersection of sustainability and HR reflects a holistic approach to business where people, profit, and the planet are seen as interconnected rather than separate concerns. As companies recognize that sustainable practices can drive long-term success, HR becomes a strategic partner in shaping a future-ready, responsible, and resilient organization.

It appears that new strategies for leadership development are necessary, aligned with the previous themes. Kawai, Wilson, and Ulrich (2024) outline five “essential practices for enhancing leadership competence at all levels within an organization.”^iv Exhibit 3 summarizes these practices.

6. Fostering a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)

It is increasingly recognized that diverse teams bring a wider array of perspectives and ideas, driving innovation and improving problem-solving abilities. HR leaders must champion D&I practices by establishing policies that promote a fair and inclusive workplace, which not only attracts talent but also enhances employee morale and productivity. By embracing a holistic view of stakeholder interests, HR professionals help organizations build positive reputations and engage with communities, ultimately boosting brand loyalty and customer trust.

Conclusions

Given the current business context and the evolution of HR, it looks like the emerging HR competencies are focused on adding value to stakeholders. This is a multifaceted process that requires a strategic mindset, analytical tools, and a commitment to fostering inclusive workplace cultures. As HR continues to evolve in this direction, organizations can expect improved performance, enhanced employee engagement, and stronger relationships with all stakeholders, firmly establishing HR as an essential driver of organizational success.

HR should continually evolve to meet the changing needs of businesses. This includes adopting new technologies, aligning HR strategies with business goals, and focusing on long-term transformation rather than short-term fixes.

HR leaders need to have a strategic mindset to ensure they have a seat at the table with other business leaders. This involves being proactive in shaping the organization’s future and aligning HR practices with the broader business vision.

These insights emphasize that HR’s role is much more than managing personnel—it’s about driving business success by building organizational strength and delivering value across various dimensions.

The authors wish to thank Dr. Dave Ulrich for the comments and suggestions made on an earlier version of this paper.

About the Authors

Simon L. Dolan is a Senior Director of Research and Programs Development at Advantere School of Management, affiliated with Comillas, Deusto and Georgetown Universities (www.advantere.org). He is also the president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). Dr. Dolan is a prolific author who has published over 86 books in multiple languages, and over 160 papers in scientific journals. He is a highly solicited international speaker delivering conferences on the future of work, the future of mental health and resilience at work, culture reengineering, and coaching and leading by values. His full is CV at: www.simondolan.com

Pedro César Martínez Morán is the Director of the Master in Talent Management Faculty at Advantere School of Management, affiliated with Comillas, Deusto and Georgetown Universities (www.advantere.org). He is a professor of Human Resources/Researcher and scientific reviewer in Human Resources and Talent Management. Dr. Martínez Morán is an author and speaker on People Management.

References

i. International Organization for Migration, World Migration Report 2022, file:///C:/Users/HP%20Pavilion/Downloads/wmr-2022_0.pdf, (accessed on the 25 de October de 2024). See also: World Bank. https://datos.bancomundial.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS (accessed on the 25 de October de 2024).

ii. The summary is based on chapters 6 and 7 in a forthcoming book by Dolan, Raich, Ulrich, and Albrecht: The Future of Work, myEducator, 2025. It is also based on personal exchanges and the short articles Dave Ulrich is publishing on LinkedIn.

iii. A good reference for understanding retirement in the EU workforce and its implications for organizations is the report by the European Commission titled “The 2018 Ageing Report: Economic and Budgetary Projections for the EU Member States (2016-2070). This report provides a comprehensive analysis of demographic trends in the EU, specifically focusing on aging populations and the resulting concerns for the workforce and economy.

iv. Kawai, L., Wilson, E. and Ulrich, D. (2024). Five Leadership Development Strategies You Can’t Afford to Ignore, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-leadership-development-strategies-you-cant-afford-dave-ulrich-biyxc/?trackingId=zGEedgBFQw2wwARIEcaDRQ%3D%3D (accessed on the 5 of November 2024).

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In a world where everything seems to change with increasing frequency, we risk becoming more blasé about every new shift that comes along and failing to appreciate just how huge its consequences may be. That “latest big thing” just might be a transformation. 

The objective of this article is to describe the magnitude of the transformation that is occurring nowadays around us (business, society, and the world), and to suggest that we are not prepared for this deep transformation. We will describe the so called “deep transformation” and identify the paths needed to undertake a mind shift in order to have a meaningful life amid this tectonic transformation. 

At its core, the concept of transformation goes beyond mere change. Change often refers to specific adjustments or modifications; for example, in a company a change may be a new marketing strategy or a shift in company policy. Transformation, on the other hand, involves a fundamental rethinking and reshaping of an organization’s values, culture, processes, and overall direction. It requires a comprehensive overhaul, touching every aspect of the entity involvedi. And, most important, in transformation there is no way of going back. 

In today’s rapidly evolving world, both businesses and societies are experiencing profound transformations fueled by various factors. Here are the principles:  

1. Technological Advancement: The digital revolution has radically altered how we communicate, collaborate, and conduct business. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are not just tools; they are catalysts that redefine how organizations operate and engage with their customers. This shift necessitates a transformation in workforce skills, leadership approaches, and even business models.ii
2. Globalization: The interconnectedness of the global economy has forced businesses to transform to remain competitive. This means adopting more agile practices, embracing cultural diversity, and understanding the complexities of international markets. Societal transformation is also evident as cultures blend and adapt in response to global influences.
3. Sustainability: With growing awareness of environmental issues, businesses are now transforming their operational strategies to be more sustainable. This can involve rethinking supply chains, adopting circular economic principles, and striving for transparency in practices. Societal expectations are changing, with consumers increasingly favoring brands that prioritize ethical practices and sustainability.iii
4. Social Movements and Change: Recent societal shifts, sparked by movements focused on equity, inclusion, and justice, are driving transformation at multiple levels. Companies are reevaluating their roles in society, looking closely at their diversity initiatives, corporate social responsibility efforts, and community engagement strategies. This requires a fundamental shift in corporate philosophies, not just a change in policies.
5. Workforce Dynamics: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated shifts in how we work. Remote work, flexible job arrangements, and the gig economy are now significant parts of professional life. Organizations must transform their HR practices, leadership models, and employee engagement strategies to adapt to a new reality where traditional workplaces are evolving or even becoming obsolete.

The need for a transformational mindset 

As businesses and societies navigate these transformations, a transformational mindset becomes crucial. This involves: 

• Visionary Leadership: Leaders must articulate a clear vision that resonates with employees and stakeholders. They should be able to inspire a collective effort toward embracing change and innovation.  
• Agility and Flexibility: Organizations must remain adaptable, ready to pivot or iterate their strategies in response to new challenges or opportunities that arise within the transforming landscape.  
• Empowered Culture: Fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, open communication, and learning from failure is essential. Employees should feel empowered to contribute to the transformation process.  
• Collaboration and Inclusivity: Engaging diverse perspectives not only enriches problem-solving but also fosters innovation. Collaboration across departments and with external partners can lead to more holistic and innovative solutions.  

Human fundamental concerns amid the radical world transformation  

Whether we like it or not, the past is gone for good; a new future lies ahead.  

Have you ever wondered what your future is? And what the future of our species is? Or what the world of future generations will be? Did you wonder about the value of your life, for yourself and future generations? Did you ever go through the anguish of thinking about the afterlife?  

These are the kinds of questions that represent the shaping of our lives. Life is a maze of different kinds of relationships. 

• Life shaping means managing direction and action in life. 
• Life shaping means overcoming unexpected changes (i.e., coping with unexpected events). 
• Life shaping means experiencing life (i.e., understanding and taking part in the maze of life at the different levels of individuals, group, team, community, society, and even humanity). 

Not only business but our entire world has entered a period of deep, global, and all-encompassing transformation. Everything will be turned upside down. So far, only a few people seem to be aware of how far-reaching the outcomes of this transformation will be. Most people have just registered that something weird is going on. We are in the middle of the transition from the industrial to the cyber-economy and cyber-society. The effects are like shifts of tectonic plates, leading to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and changing entire landscapes. The feeling of instability is noticeable everywhere.  

We are discovering that reality is non-sequential, non-systemic and, in multiple cases, asymmetric. Models and concepts based on former thinking can no longer help with what is happening around us. Thus, we need to change our view of the world so that, if we are lucky, it will help us to develop new concepts and models based on organic, systemic, and holistic thinking.  

True, everything flows! But it flows in a very disruptive manner. Exploring the “New Reality” will bring us more questions than answers, but this is not the core problem. We argue that in the New Reality it is more important to opt for the right questions than to get answers that may become instantly obsolete. To reiterate Christensen’s argument in “How Will You Measure Your Life?”, in which he discusses the significance of pursuing meaningful questions in a changing landscape, the right questions can guide you toward a fulfilling life and decisions, rather than being fixated solely on finding definitive answers.iv 

The competence of asking the right question is a pivotal skill that fosters deeper understanding and drives insightful conversations. It involves not only clarity of thought but also active listening and an awareness of context. By framing questions thoughtfully, we can unlock new perspectives, elicit meaningful responses, and guide discussions toward productive outcomes. This skill transcends various domains, from education to leadership, as the ability to probe effectively enhances problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, and fosters collaboration. Ultimately, asking the right questions is an art that cultivates inquiry, discovery, and growth. 

Are we going through a turning point in history? 

The transition from the industrial age into the cyber-age is a huge challenge, but also a unique opportunity for enterprises and corporations. To participate in this development, we need foresight, the right education, the necessary technological infrastructure, and ample entrepreneurial spirit. A multi-reality world in transition requires permanent focus on the actual, the emerging, and the future context. It also requires permanent awareness about contextual changes and future orientation. In a world in transition, we need a process focused on the desired future and not just on the expected one. Businesses that keep on focusing overwhelmingly on past successes have no future. Tomorrow, everything may change. The passive expectation vs active shaping of the future is depicted in exhibit 1. 

Exhibit 1: Passive expectation vs active shaping of the future

Hope is a key value that may help leaders to avoid the worst-case scenarios and focus on future vision. Simply spreading optimism seems to be futile; what is needed are real visionary leaders who engage in action. Fortunately, these exist. Exhibit 2 proposes some examples of visionary leaders who are transforming the landscape and preparing for the future. These individuals are not only visionary in their thinking but also actively working to implement their ideas and drive progress in their respective fields. 

Exhibit 2: Examples of contemporary visionary leaders 

Completing the missing puzzle: moving from the expected into the desired future 

Our personal future depends to a large extent on the future of others, such as those that are important to us, organizations that are relevant to us, the society that we live in, and of course broader contexts such as our history and the state of science and technology available in our community. These last are super-dynamic and embrace constant changes; they are all in a state of deep transformation. 

Our short presence in this world will leave only marginal imprints. For most of us, no trace will remain. So, in this type of world, what should we do to enable a more meaningful life? The answer is simple: The more we move from the expected towards the desired future, and the stronger we are in living our own lives, the bigger our impact will be on those futures. But ultimately it depends on us whether it is a positive impact or negative one. We decide whether our life is meaningful for us and our environment, or not. We do not exist alone, and we may choose to impact other people. 

Often, we do not realize this choice: whether to spend our lives in blessed ignorance, happy with whatever happens, or take up the challenge and aim beyond this. Our future these days is loaded with an overwhelming array of problems, issues, and crises which lie along the way towards a good future. We are torn between two contradictory options: preventing or avoiding looming problems. The time has come to stop waiting for opportunities and to create them ourselves! People don’t get mature and wise by aging; they just get old! It is necessary to work on our own development at each stage of our life and our career. If we stop this process, then we have reached the end. Exhibit 4 shows drivers of transformation and possible expected outcomes.  

Exhibit 3: Drivers of transformation and possible expected outcomes. 

Principal Drivers 

• New transforming and disrupting technology based on AI and robots among many other new technologies: virtual reality, blockchain, biotech, nanotech, genetics, new materials, new energy sources, etc. 
• New science is reaching out a long way, exploring even the “Beyond”. 
• New business with the intelligent collaboration of people, AI, and robots. 
• Social transformation and demographics, leading to the growing importance of cities.

Possible expected outcomes 

1. New civilization based on intelligent collaboration, where humans, robots, and AI are in collaboration. The world becoming more equal and the feminine part coming out of the shadows. 
2. Plutocracy. A few people become immensely rich and wealthy, becoming the masters of the world. abusing the new technology to control the rest. 
3. Back to the Stone Age. Our civilization crumbles, is destroyed, and starts again from scratch. 

Our objective should be to be better than before, not just “more of the same”. Our life is a blended voyage of serendipity, wonderings, and disasters. If there is no future, everything looks meaningless and hopeless. The future is the most important dimension of our lives. v 

Macrotrends and paradigm shifts 

Creativity and entrepreneurship are the main driving forces of human civilization. Artificial intelligence and cyber-reality are powerful forces, both pushing into a new dimension. To avoid the trap of the greed-driven economy, there is a need to focus on quality of life.  

The paradigm shift includes the following changes:

•  From greed to mutual respect, tolerance, and trust.
•  From growth to care.

As of today, we have an overwhelming focus on profit, which leads to distortions in the meaning of economy and ignoring the negative collateral impacts on society and the environment. For example, we accept the harmful and damaging impact of CO2 on the environment and can barely agree to reach CO2 neutrality, instead aiming at an overall reduction below the harmful limits. 

In principle, the purpose of economy is to provide meaningful products and services for individuals and society. It is also important to insist on the role of work, which gives meaning to our lives. Since good relationships are the most important basis for a healthy and happy life, work-related relationships may have an important role to play as well. In his writings, Dave Ulrich, a prominent figure in the field of human resources and organizational development, often emphasizes the significance of meaningful work. One of his key phrases reflects this concept:  

“Meaningful work is the bedrock of human dignity and organizational success.”vi  

Finally, creativity and innovation need entrepreneurship to be implemented. AI, automation, digitalization, robotics, 3D printing, and others have a strong impact on all working activities. An increasing amount of human work can be done by machines. Value creation and value distribution will have to change fundamentally. We tend to forget that, besides the paid work we do for others, we all also work for ourselves, our family, neighbors, and other people and organizations. It is often caring work labeled as a social activity. This perception may and should be changing.

Exhibit 5 summarizes concrete actions designed to become part of the desired future.   

Exhibit 5: Proposed actions to build a desired future 

We must fight to ensure both that we have a future and that it is a future worth having. vii If we miss it, it may take centuries or even millennia to regain the advanced civilization we enjoy now. But we may as well lose it forever. This time, humanity risks being part of the sixth mass extinction.viii 

Conclusion 

Our life is a journey to the unknown, full of surprises and challenges. The journey is the purpose. We can decide largely about the direction we want to take. Obviously, we can just drift, but then we risk following other people’s directions.  

Given the deep transformation that is looming on the horizon, we need to adopt a more proactive attitude and move from the expected future to the desired future. It is this that will enhance the quality of our lives. But, for this to happen, we need to understand what is going on in the period of deep transformation in business and society. The voyage to a desired future will involve our imagination and a firm stand and adaptation of new paradigms that will serve as a guiding compass. This article is not intended to provide a solution to all future issues, but to raise the level of consciousness of what is happening and perhaps create a wish list for actions. We should never forget that we live only here and now. Tomorrow is a bridge to the day after tomorrow! 

If you promise people gold, you will harvest greed. If you bring people hope, you can win their hearts. And, if you teach people to trust each other, they may again have a real future.

Dreams are changing the world. 

Let’s dream together about a better world!

About the Authors 

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organizations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy and Managing Director of Raich Futures Studies in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society 

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a professor and Senior Director of Research and Programs at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 85 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, stress and resilience enhancement. In 2024 he was awarded a doctorate honoris causa (University of Huelva) and the IFSAM Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management Scholarship.. He has published over 170 papers in scientific journals. He is an internationally sought speaker. His full CV is at: www.simondolan.com 

Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office, CC Trust Group AG, and the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG with headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company. 

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A new year is always an appropriate time to stop and evaluate progress in any given endeavour and, moreover, to consider any new factors that may have entered into the equation. In HR, as in almost every other sector of business, such factors abound.

The challenge for individuals

Individuals are caught in what Zygmunt Bauman called “liquid life”¹, which means that they are deeply immersed in a consumer society, relentlessly pursuing satisfaction at an accelerated pace, longing and shifting towards authenticity, embracing individual uniqueness, and enhancing capacity to collaborate generously with others (by leading, sharing knowledge, helping, or even teaching others) as well as with AI-equipped robots.

The demands of contemporary work life require a significant focus on knowledge acquisition, a diverse set of collaborative skills, and the ability to navigate under different circumstances and unknown consequences. In this intricate landscape, seeking support or assistance from teammates, colleagues, or managers becomes essential for effective functioning. Regardless of one’s function, responsibilities, or role in a company, the interdependence among team members is and will become crucial.

The emerging context: managing HR in a VUCA world and other environmental factors

Companies worldwide in a VUCA era face new challenges on many fronts — economic, social, environmental, and technological. Considering a working career solely as an individual path should be viewed as a mistake and, hence, it is essential to recognise the interconnectedness of diverse roles within the working environment. Individuals require interaction with others for their development, and continuous upskilling so that they can maintain an effective performance at work.

The objective of this short article is to briefly introduce some key factors that may influence the HR arena, acting individually or collectively.

The rise of intelligent machines and their impact on the individual worker

The current momentum of accelerated digital transformation coupled with the growing strength and ubiquity of generative artificial intelligence (AI) necessitates the acquisition of new knowledge and competencies to maintain performance, efficiency, and productivity. AI is becoming an integral part of everyday life. While it’s undoubtedly driving innovation and creating efficiencies in some fields, it’s also causing a fair amount of fear and uncertainty. The threat to jobs is real, creating both opportunities and redundancies. The Boston Consulting Group indicates that “the explosive popularity of ChatGPT and other forms of generative AI suggests that we are witnessing the start of a new order for business and society”². However, concerns arise regarding whether handing over control of our lives to algorithms can exacerbate divisions and inequality in society. We need to identify the correct interaction between people and machines.

Climate change is increasingly becoming a political issue

The urgency of averting the catastrophic effects of climate change is escalating rapidly. Technology is widely acknowledged as playing a critical role, with innovations such as clean energy and carbon capture seen as integral parts of the solution. However, the willingness of individuals and organisations to take responsibility, along with the way political and economic trends unfold, will likely be even more critical in addressing this global challenge.

Culture wars

The term “culture war” refers to an ongoing polarisation of society, often characterised by a left-versus-right or liberal-versus-conservative debate largely conducted via social media channels. There is a trend to steer audiences towards content that is likely to confirm their biases, while also inflaming feelings of injustice or inequality.

Turbulent times for economies

Hard economic times often lead governments to opt for reducing spending on public services and utilities, implementing job cuts, and causing a reduction in living standards. Currently, there is an intense campaign to manage inflation efficiently, secure the supply chain, reduce costs, and create safe environments for doing business. Inflationary pressures are exacerbating commercial strain due to high prices for certain products. On the wages side, the decline in purchasing power is causing unease and fostering conflict between employers and workers.

The evolution of work and employment

Changes in how people work will continue to affect many aspects of our lives and society. Although some companies are implementing back-to-
office policies, remote and hybrid working remain at higher levels than before the pandemic. This improves global mobility, as workers are no longer tied to living close to employment centres. However, it can also lead to increased social isolation and reduced social cohesion. In its survey on AI, McKinsey notes that “looking ahead to the next three years, respondents predict that the adoption of AI will reshape many roles in the workforce”.³

The generation gap

The wealth and property ownership gap between generations will continue to drive global and social change. The Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey points out that the responses from Gen Z and Millennials reflect “how the disruptive events of the last few years have shaped their lives and views, and highlight that while they acknowledge some positive change, they remain deeply concerned about their futures”. The survey indicates that 49 per cent of Gen Z and 62 per cent of millennials say that work is central to their identity, work-life balance” and that “having a good work-life balance is the top trait they admire in their peers, and their top consideration when choosing a new employer”.⁴

The ageing population

World Bank forecasts reveal an ongoing progressive ageing process. According to these projections, people aged 65 and over will account for 10 per cent of the world population in 2022⁵. This represents a doubling of the initial percentage, which was around 5 per cent in 1960, as illustrated in table 1.

The decision-making behaviour of older adults may be influenced by a tendency towards risk aversion, particularly when confronted with potential losses, as suggested by Albert and Duffy.⁶ This inclination towards risk aversion could give valuable insights into the nature of decision-making in ageing populations.

Ongoing urbanisation

Over the past 50 years, both social structures and patterns of coexistence, as well as mobility systems in large cities, have undergone significant transformations. The European Commission, through its “Knowledge for Policy” website, notes that “people in search of better opportunities, such as jobs, services, and education, have been moving from rural to urban areas across the world, and this accelerating trend is likely to continue in the future. The number of people living in cities has more than doubled over the last 40 years and is projected to reach 5 billion by 2050.” On one hand, it favours productivity, while on the other hand it is “the cause of problems associated with environmental degradation, public health, housing, congestion, and inequalities”.⁷

The new patterns of migration

Economies will persist in benefiting from an influx of predominantly young, able-bodied, and active workers. Concerns about the potential strain on utilities and public services, as well as the impact of new arrivals on indigenous populations, will continue to fuel political divisions. In advanced economies, the offer of jobs, visas, and educational opportunities will increasingly be used to address the skills gap. The International Organisation of Migration highlights the increasing numbers of key migration indicators, as depicted in table 2.⁸

The new definition of education(rethinking education)

The speed of technological innovation means that opportunities are opening in industries that did not even exist when many of today’s workers were at school. UNESCO indicates that a new social contract for education is needed. This means “an implicit agreement among members of a society to cooperate for shared benefit”. UNESCO also suggests that “the starting point is a shared vision of the public purposes of education. This contract consists of the foundational and organisational principles that structure education systems and the distributed work done to build, maintain, and refine them.”⁹

The new model of well-being

A schematic bidimensional model of well-being is presented in exhibit 1.

This model proposes expanding the concept of “successes” to encompass both organisational and individual perspectives simultaneously, while also integrating the mental and physical dimensions of well-being. In quadrant A, true well-being is achieved, where individuals perform well while maintaining their personal, mental, and physical health. Quadrant A represents a win–win situation. Quadrant D is considered problematic, where not only does the employee perform poorly, but their health is also adversely affected. Quadrants B and C are also problematic, as either individual health or organisational health is compromised.

Prospective view of the five HR mega-challenges in “Tomorrowland”

People management has transformed organisations. Their traditional transactional role is no longer aligned with the current needs of businesses. Instead, human resources (HR) has evolved into agents of change, requiring them to be closely aligned with the business and take on more strategic responsibilities.
Organisations will encounter a multitude of challenges in effectively managing the people within their workforces in the coming years. This can be categorised into the following areas:

1. Cultural diversity and the creation of integration policies

The world offers a unique opportunity for people of different ages, races, religious beliefs, and political ideologies to live together, without discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN is a voluntary roadmap (THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development). However, despite the interconnectedness and connectedness that exists in many areas, barriers to travel and work persist in some countries.

Organisational culture must enable people to be involved, generate commitment in the face of difficulties, and facilitate professional development. Additionally, in recent years, the coexistence of different generations in the same organisation has meant that each cohort has its motivations and idiosyncrasies, making it necessary to establish communication, management, and reward mechanisms adapted to each group. As Baby Boomers retire, Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) is stepping into leadership roles across many industries. Unlike their predecessors, Gen X leaders combine traditional leadership styles with an innate understanding of technological advances, valuing both experience and innovation. This unique combination has ushered in a more agile, tech-savvy, and holistic approach to leadership, driving businesses into the future with adaptability and foresight.

As the modern workforce evolves, a new HR trend is taking centre stage, manifested by the convergence of reward, culture, flexibility, and meaningful work. No longer isolated elements, these factors are working together to drive employee satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty. The modern employee is no longer driven by financial incentives alone; they seek a holistic employment experience that aligns with their values and aspirations. This shift reflects a broader societal recognition that our jobs can, and should, provide more than just a pay packet.

2. The employment relationship model, part-time work management, and hybrid portfolio management (face-to-face and virtual)

The employment relationship model that has worked for more than a century is under scrutiny. The trend towards shorter working hours is continuing. The four-day week is gaining ground. On the other hand, nomadic working arrangements are not left out of expectations. The return to the office has called into question the benefits of teleworking. Companies have seen a decline in engagement, integration, and communication in their teams. The physical distance has not been reduced by the virtual relationship. The gig economy or on-demand economy continues to make inroads with new ways to generate new revenue.

The impact of changes in the relational models of work would affect the degree of participation and mobilisation in the pursuit of a common project. New knowledge will make it necessary to recycle certain foundations, update others, and incorporate new skills and capacities.

Today, people do not come to the office to work alone in a corner. They come to participate in collaborative projects, solve operational problems more quickly, and contribute their ideas and expertise to strategic projects. Spaces and tools, both physical and digital, for co-creation and collaboration are needed.
As an example of the changing times, employees who live within 80 kilometres of a Zoom office in the United States and beyond will be required to be present at least two days a week from September 2023. Zoom describes this as adopting a “structured hybrid approach”.¹⁰

A significant number of employees, including 70 per cent of Gen Z and half of millennials, are turning to side hustles and gig work. Their motivations are twofold: the need for extra income due to the rising cost of living and inflation, and a preference for flexible, skills-based jobs that deviate from the traditional 9-to-5 model.

Traditional side hustles, such as driving for a transportation company or delivering food, have historically supplemented incomes. However, the modern gig economy has been transformed by the explosive growth of influencer marketing. The influencer market is estimated to reach $21.1 billion in 2023, a 29 per cent jump from 2022. What started as a trend among the youth is now engaging a broader demographic with popular platforms. This shift is being fuelled by the accessibility and flexibility of remote working, allowing individuals to create influential content during their working hours.

Hybrid working models are likely to dominate, impelled by a results-driven culture that redefines performance metrics. As organisations juggle between the compelling benefits of remote work with the intangible benefits of in-office collaboration, one thing is certain: the future of work will be a crucible for broader societal change, forcing us to redefine not just how we work but why people work.

3. Demographic challenge and a new definition of talent

The earth’s inhabitants are experiencing a continuous and steady growth in resource consumption. This growth is closely tied to the increasing concentration of populations in urban centres, driven by the generation and demand for employment opportunities in these areas. However, depopulated and ageing regions face a challenge known as the “talent development trap” in Europe. This phenomenon highlights the need to reconsider the definition of tomorrow´s talent and emphasises the importance of lifelong learning.

The maintenance of trades and professions is undergoing changes influenced by shifts in consumption patterns and the evolving habits and behaviours of both companies and individuals. Individuals are calling for the creation of fair and non-precarious employment opportunities, emphasising the need for talent to be recognised and promoted without bias or discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

One of the most pressing paradoxes in the world of work is the challenge of positively correlating labour supply and demand. There is a growing need to identify and attract talent to fill the new professions and roles that are emerging, addressing the evolving dynamics and expectations in the contemporary workplace.

Talent is not perceived as an abundant resource but rather as a scarce commodity. Managing talent becomes crucial, especially when there is a need to fill vacant positions in the face of a lower supply compared to the potential demand. The ongoing war for talent is expected to intensify, particularly with the increased involvement of Al recruitment processes.

The competition for human capital will influence the speed at which individuals join and integrate into organisations. This dynamic will compel companies to consistently enhance their talent management processes to attract, retain, and effectively integrate skilled individuals into their teams.

Contemporary organisations are no longer solely based on the production of goods and services but also consider the economic and social impact of those decisions. This shift encourages an approach rooted in sustainable talent management and development, fostering greater stakeholder engagement with a more pluralistic focus.
Digitalisation has provided organisations with tools not only for recruiting the best talent but also for managing, developing, and retaining that talent. In this context, organisations should prioritise efforts to build a positive reputation as an employer brand. This entails creating a workplace culture that is attractive to potential employees and aligns with sustainable and socially responsible practices, contributing to the organisation’s overall success and impact.

4. Employee well-being and the active promotion of resilience

Well-being serves as an antidote to stress, and individuals have become increasingly aware of the importance of taking care of their health. Companies that invest in the well-being of their workforces often experience an increase in overall performance. However, stress levels have also seen a rise, emphasising the need for resilience, which can help mitigate stress and foster a healthier workplace environment. As Casademunt and Dolan state, “resilience can act as a protective factor for avoiding issues of poor mental health.” They have developed a “resilience core rings model”. This means a “process of six stages where some of the most relevant research in the areas of neurobiology and behavioural therapy are applied to build resilience and recover mental health, with no need for any pharmacological intervention”.¹¹
In recent years, HR professionals have faced mounting pressures and demands, resulting in a concerning trend of HR burnout. HR burnout is not merely an issue of individual fatigue; it extends to impact the overall efficiency of entire organisations and can pose challenges to talent retention and acquisition. As companies expand, their human resource needs grow, underscoring the urgent need for businesses to recognise HR burnout promptly to ensure the well-being and effectiveness of their teams.

5. The use of complex technological resources such as AI

Major developments, such as the use and application of AI, process automation, and large-scale data analysis, are reshaping the skills required in the workforce, necessitating continuous knowledge updates. These skills are broadly categorised into cognitive, digital, self-leadership, and interpersonal, reflecting the imperative to adapt to the evolving challenges in the world of work.

The integration of AI requires an expansion of employee skill sets, resulting in the emergence of new roles and responsibilities and, consequently, new jobs. Individuals must adapt to the digital skills essential for survival, life, and work. The European Union’s digital competence framework for citizens underscores the importance of not only knowledge but also skills and attitudes in engaging with the world.

Despite concerns about potential job loss due to the rise of AI, the tech-savvy Gen Z is particularly open to this science of making machines that can think like humans and perceiving it as a career accelerator. This suggests a future workforce that embraces and integrates technology, reflecting a positive stance on the opportunities presented by technological advancements.

The challenge of offering quality of working life and enhanced well-being to everyone

The challenges mentioned above are not confined solely to people management. Rather, they stem from broader societal changes and their inherent evolution. Technological advancements, involving increased investment and confidence in future progress, demand efforts in preparation and the acquisition of new knowledge.
Individuals need to recognise that the future will unfold in a digital environment rather than an analogue one. The proliferation of social relations facilitated by information and communication technologies should promote more extensive and thoughtful interactions. While technology facilitates business transactions such as trade, it is crucial to prevent the social isolation that can arise from excessive reliance on teleworking.

Improved living conditions have led to the convergence of different generations in the same workplace. Collaboration among these diverse generations is increasingly vital for organisational success.

Conclusion

Private as well as public companies are compelled to confront the ongoing challenges posed by global evolution. They cannot afford to ignore the changes occurring around them. To thrive in this dynamic environment, companies must adopt adaptive and flexible organisational models. Articulating and implementing congruent shared values (i.e. sustainable culture) and nurturing trust will play a crucial role in gluing employees, customers, suppliers, and members of the community together. It is essential to recognise that the ultimate beneficiary of these efforts is the individual being, contributing to a harmonious and sustainable workplace.
In the era of automation and digital transformation, the dispelled significance of human creativity, empathy, and collaboration has become increasingly evident. Forward-thinking companies acknowledge this and invest in cultivating a culture that values these human elements. This not only contributes to the company’s growth but also nurtures a workspace where individuals feel genuinely appreciated and motivated.

The concept of total well-being encompasses various dimensions, including physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial health. By actively supporting employees’ well-being in all these areas, organisations can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism, and elevate employee morale.

And finally, adopting a holistic approach to actively promoting employee well-being can be regarded as a strategic move for organisations. It not only contributes to a healthier and more engaged workforce, but also fosters a positive work environment, ultimately leading to increased productivity and quality of life for all employees.

The article was first published on 22 January 2024.

About the Authors

Dr. Pedro Cesar Martínez Moran is the Director of Master in Talent Management at Advantere School of Management. Since 2017, he has also been the Director of Master of HR at the Pontificia University of Comillas. In addition to academic work, he has worked in different roles as senior executive and senior consultant. Currently he is a member of the board of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). 

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is a professor at Advantere School of Management and the University of Comillas. He is the former director of the ESADE Future of Work Chair. He has a PhD in People Management and Work Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is a former full professor at ESADE, the University of Montreal, McGill University, Boston University, and others. He has published over 80 books, including academic textbooks in HR, in English, French, and Spanish. He is the co-founder and president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). 

References

1. Bauman, Z. (2005), Liquid life, Polity. 
2. Boston Consulting Group, “AI at Work: What People Are Saying”, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/what-people-are-saying-about-ai-at-work, 7 June 2023 (accessed 14 December 2023). 
3. McKinsey, “The state of AI in 2023: Generative AI’s breakout year” (accessed 14 December 2023). https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-2023-generative-ais-breakout-year 
4. “Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey”, file:///C:/Users/HP%20Pavilion/Downloads/deloitte-2023-genz-millennial-survey%20(1).pdf (accessed 18 December 2023). 
5. World Bank, https://datos.bancomundial.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS (accessed 18 December 2023). 
6. Albert, S. M., & Duffy, J. (2012), “Differences in risk aversion between young and older adults”, Neuroscience and neuroeconomics, 3-9. 
7. European Commission, “Knowledge for policy”, “Megatrend continuing urbanisation”, https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/continuing-urbanisation_en#megatrendcontinuingurbanisation (accessed 18 December 2023). 
8. International Organisation for Migration, “World Migration Report 2022”, file:///C:/Users/HP%20Pavilion/Downloads/wmr-2022_0.pdf, (accessed 18 December 2023). 
9. UNESCO, “Rethinking the futures together”, https://courier.unesco.org/en/articles/rethinking-our-futures-together (accessed 18 December 2023). 
10. Zoom blog, “How to build your best hybrid work environment with Zoom”, https://www.zoom.com/en/blog/best-hybrid-work-environment/ (accessed 18 December 2023). 
11. Javier S. Casademunt and Simon L. Dolan, “The Resilience Rings: A New Neuropsychological Framework for Building Resilience”, The European Business Review. March 2023. 

The post Revisiting HR Challenges at the Dawn of 2024 appeared first on The European Business Review.

Creating or enhancing resilience has become a buzz phrase in recent times. The ubiquity of the term in today’s lexicon stems from a myriad of factors, including the rise of self-help culture, the glorification of struggle and adversity, and the commodification of resilience.

In an era marked by constant change and uncertainty, individuals are bombarded with messages emphasizing the importance of resilience in navigating life’s inevitable challenges. Self-help gurus and motivational speakers extol the virtues of bouncing back from setbacks, framing resilience as a prerequisite for success and fulfillment. In a society obsessed with productivity and achievement, the ability to weather storms and persevere in the face of adversity has become a coveted attribute, fueling the proliferation of resilience as a buzzword.

In a society obsessed with productivity and achievement, the ability to weather storms and persevere has become a coveted attribute.

Moreover, the romanticization of struggle and hardship in popular culture has further bolstered the status of resilience as a buzzword. From inspirational stories of individuals overcoming insurmountable odds to viral social media posts celebrating resilience, the narrative of resilience has been mythologized and glorified, perpetuating the notion that resilience is not just a desirable trait, but a heroic one.

The commodification of resilience has transformed it into a marketable commodity, with an array of products and services promising to help individuals build their resilience muscles. From resilience training programs to resilience-themed merchandise, the commercialization of resilience has capitalized on the zeitgeist of self-improvement and personal development, reinforcing its status as a buzzword that resonates with consumers seeking to enhance their capacity to cope with life’s challenges.

At the risk of adding to this discourse, the objective of this article is to offer another interesting angle of profile of resilient people based on their habits. We hope that the paper will be relevant for mental health coaches and other wellness professionals in guiding and helping their clients become more resilient.

While resilience and wellness coaching can offer some benefits in terms of promoting self-care and stress management, it is important to approach this industry with a critical eye and consider the potential drawbacks and limitations of this approach to mental health and well-being. In this article, we will concentrate on habits. In our research as well as in our coaching practices, we have identified 10 key habits of resilient people, and perhaps these can serve as a reference for the professionals in the field who will attempt to modify or change the habits of their clients / patients, rendering them more resilient and healthier psychologically.

Why Resiliency and Wellness Enhancement are so much Needed in Our Time and Age

In the face of VUCA and the global health crisis, resiliency emerges as a critical survival mechanism. It is the capacity to adapt, bounce back, and thrive in the face of adversity, setbacks, and uncertainty. Those lacking in resiliency are at risk of being overwhelmed, paralyzed, or even destroyed by the myriad of challenges that define our current reality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities and fragilities of our systems and structures, laying bare the need for resilience at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Those who are resilient can weather the storm, innovate in the face of constraints, and find new ways to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

An important lesson from the COVID-19 era underscores the importance of building and cultivating resiliency as a core competency. It is not enough to simply react to crises as they arise; rather, individuals and organizations must proactively develop the skills, mindset, and strategies needed to withstand and overcome the challenges of our time.

What are the Core Habits of Resilient People?

Research suggests that resilient individuals possess a set of core habits that enable them to navigate life’s ups and downs with grace and determination. These habits are not mere whimsical tendencies, but rather strategic behaviors that have been cultivated and honed over time through deliberate practice and introspection.

The core habits of resilient people are not innate traits, but rather learned behaviors that can be developed and strengthened over time. By cultivating adaptability, self-care, purpose, and a strong support network, individuals can enhance their resilience and better cope with life’s challenges. Resilience is not a passive quality, but an active practice that requires effort and intentionality. By embodying these core habits, individuals can build the resilience needed to thrive in a world that is constantly changing and evolving.

We have identified 10 core habits of resilient people. A summary is provided in Exhibit 1 and the further explanation that follows.

Habit 1: Resilient people find meaning and purpose in their life

Resilient individuals possess a remarkable ability to derive meaning and purpose from their life experiences. In the face of adversity and challenges, they do not succumb to despair or hopelessness but, instead, they channel their inner strength and determination to find a sense of purpose that drives them forward. This ability to find meaning during chaos is a testament to their resilience and mental fortitude.

In other words, the ability to find meaning and purpose in one’s life is a hallmark of resilience. Resilient individuals possess the inner strength and determination to derive purpose from their experiences, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth and self-discovery. By actively seeking out meaning and purpose, they can weather life’s storms with grace, emerging stronger and more resilient on the other side.

Habit 2: Resilient people are always open to learning, developing, and growing

Resilient individuals exhibit a relentless pursuit of personal growth and development, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to the concept of continuous improvement. Their unwavering dedication to enhancing their skills and knowledge sets them apart from others, as they constantly seek opportunities to expand their capabilities and achieve their full potential. This insatiable thirst for learning propels them forward, driving them to consistently seek out new challenges and experiences that will enrich their lives and enable them to overcome adversity with grace and determination. In a world where complacency and stagnation are all too common, the resilience of these individuals serves as a shining example of the power of self-motivation and the transformative impact of a growth mindset.

Habit 3: Resilient people adapt a strong cognitive attitude, saying: I´ll do the best, and … que sera, sera

Resilient individuals often exhibit a strong cognitive attitude characterized by a sense of determination and acceptance of uncertainty. This attitude is encapsulated in the phrase, “I’ll do the best that I can and … que sera, sera.” While this mantra may appear simplistic on the surface, its underlying implications reveal a complex cognitive interplay between attitudes and actions.

The notion of doing one’s best reflects a proactive stance towards challenges and adversity. It suggests a willingness to exert effort and take responsibility for one’s actions, regardless of the outcome. This proactive mindset is a key component of resilience, enabling individuals to navigate obstacles with a sense of purpose.

In this sense, the cognitive attitude of resilient individuals is a delicate balance between agency and acceptance. It reflects a nuanced understanding of the limitations of individual control, while also emphasizing the importance of acting and doing one’s best in the face of adversity. By embracing this attitude, resilient individuals can adapt to challenging circumstances with a sense of resilience and fortitude.

Habit 4: Resilient people use their biological clock rather than the chronological clock

Resilient individuals who prioritize their biological clock over the conventional chronological clock demonstrate a level of strategic thinking that sets them apart from the average populace. By aligning their activities and tasks with their natural rhythms, they can tap into a deeper well of creativity and productivity. This deliberate approach to time management allows them to optimize their energy levels and mental capacities, ultimately leading to more innovative and efficient outcomes.

By embracing their biological clock, resilient individuals can better manage stress and maintain a sense of balance in their lives.

By embracing their biological clock, resilient individuals can better manage stress and maintain a sense of balance in their lives. Rather than pushing themselves to meet arbitrary deadlines and conform to societal expectations, they can work in harmony with their natural inclinations, leading to a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle.

Habit 5: Resilient people make sure to maintain blocks of uninterrupted time for serious thinking and meditating prior to engaging

The ability to think critically and make informed decisions quickly is more important today than ever. Resilient individuals understand the value of setting aside dedicated blocks of time for serious thinking. They recognize that to navigate complex challenges and seize opportunities, they must engage in deep reflection and analysis.

By prioritizing uninterrupted time for contemplation and decision-making, resilient individuals demonstrate a commitment to excellence and strategic thinking. They understand that hastily made decisions can have far-reaching consequences, and they are willing to invest the necessary time and effort to ensure that their choices are well-informed and thoughtful.

Habit 6: Resilient people approach a task with passion and curiosity

Resilient individuals often exhibit a fervent dedication to their pursuits, driven by an insatiable curiosity that propels them forward. This unwavering commitment stems not just from a desire to succeed, but from a deep-seated passion for the task at hand. Their approach is not merely one of duty or obligation, but one of genuine interest and enthusiasm.

This relentless pursuit of knowledge and mastery drives them to push boundaries, explore new possibilities, and continuously seek improvement.

This fervor and curiosity serve as powerful motivators, fueling their resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. Rather than being deterred by obstacles, they view them as opportunities for growth and learning, further igniting their passion and drive. This relentless pursuit of knowledge and mastery drives them to push boundaries, explore new possibilities, and continuously seek improvement.

In essence, the combination of passion and curiosity fuels the resilience of individuals, propelling them towards success and fulfillment. It is through this unwavering dedication to their pursuits that they can overcome adversity and emerge stronger, more capable, and more determined than ever before.

Habit 7: Resilient people program proactively positive experiences into their lives

As each person knows what makes them happy and which are the events that energize them, resilient people program these positive events into their lives. This can be a trip to the opera, taking a beer with the boys, playing golf, or having an enjoyable massage. Obviously, these events need to be carefully planned to ensure no interruptions with work or family life. Surprisingly, some of these events do not necessarily need to be very expensive.

The emphasis on “proactively” seeking out these experiences should clearly include an assurance that these actions are genuine and not simply a performance for others. The notion that small positive experiences can significantly impact one’s resilience may oversimplify the complex nature of resilience; hence, it is not solely built on fleeting moments of joy, but rather on a deep inner strength and the ability to bounce back from adversity.

Once these experiences are planned, one needs to ensure that they do not become routine. We are all aware of the “law of effect” of Thorndike that shows that any stimulus that gets repeated loses its beneficial effect. So, in spite of the fact that positive rewards tend to be repeated, they need to be spaced and varied for the effect not to diminish.¹

Habit 8: Resilient people engage in physical and mental exercises

There is a wealth of literature that supports the fact that resilient people engage in either physical activity or mental activity on a regular basis. This was repeatedly tested and proved during the COVID-19 period². In addition to resilience hormones released and strengthening of the immune system, it enhances metabolism and oxygen in the brain that facilitate better coping and better decision-making.

Nonetheless, one needs to be aware of not using physical exercise as a panacea for mental health and resilience. While dopamine release can contribute to feelings of well-being, it is not a cure-all for the complex emotional and psychological challenges that individuals may face. Overemphasizing the role of exercise in resilience-building can inadvertently minimize the importance of other factors, such as social support, therapy, and self-care practices.

Resilient individuals consistently participate in mental activities such as yoga, meditation, or mindfulness. While it is true that these practices can indeed foster mental well-being and enhance one’s ability to bounce back from adversity, it is important to challenge the notion that they are the sole or even the most effective means of cultivating resilience.

In sum, while physical activity and mental activities can undoubtedly be valuable tools in cultivating resilience, it is essential to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to building inner strength. Rather than prescribing a single path to resilience, we should encourage a more inclusive and diverse understanding of what it means to be resilient.

Habit 9: Resilient people have a genuine net of social connections

Resilience is frequently attributed to individuals who possess a robust network of social connections. The notion that social support plays a crucial role in bolstering one’s ability to bounce back from adversity is not new. However, the depth and authenticity of these connections are often overlooked in discussions about resilience.

It is not simply the quantity of social connections that matters, but the quality of those relationships that truly determines an individual’s resilience. A genuine net of social connections is one that provides unwavering support, empathy, and understanding in times of need. These connections serve as a safety net, offering comfort and reassurance during challenging times and celebrating successes during moments of triumph.

Those who possess a genuine net of social connections are not immune to hardship, but they are better equipped to navigate the turbulent waters of life with a sense of security and belonging. They know that they are not alone in their struggles and that they have a community of caring individuals who will stand by their side through thick and thin.

Habit 10: Resilient people make sure to engage in the healthy consumption of food, regular eating habits, and cycles of hygienic sleep

Resilient individuals understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including consuming nutritious food, adhering to regular eating habits, and practicing good sleep hygiene. These individuals recognize that their physical health directly impacts their ability to bounce back from challenges and setbacks. By prioritizing proper nutrition and consistent eating patterns, they ensure that their bodies are adequately fueled to cope with stress and adversity.

Resilient individuals understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, regular eating habits, and good sleep hygiene.

Resilient individuals recognize that consuming nutritious food is not merely a matter of satisfying hunger, but rather a strategic investment in their overall resilience and ability to cope with life’s challenges. By prioritizing a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, resilient individuals ensure that their bodies are equipped to handle stress, illness, and other adversities. In essence, resilient individuals view nutrition not as a luxury or an afterthought, but as a fundamental pillar of their resilience toolkit. By making informed choices about what they eat and when they eat it, they empower themselves to face life’s inevitable ups and downs with strength, clarity, and vitality.

Resilient people also understand the pivotal role that adequate sleep plays in their overall well-being. They recognize that a lack of quality sleep can lead to decreased cognitive function, impaired decision-making, and heightened emotional reactivity, all of which can hinder their ability to effectively navigate life’s obstacles. By establishing and maintaining hygienic sleep cycles, resilient individuals safeguard their mental and emotional resilience, allowing them to face challenges with clarity and composure.

Methodologies and Tools in Measuring Resilience Habits the Basics of the Dolan Web of Resilient Habits (DWRH)

While there are numerous scales and questionnaires available to measure resilience, it is important to critically evaluate their validity and reliability, and there are few or limited scales that focus on the habits of resilient people. While there are numerous scales available to measure resilience, such as the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)³  or the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)⁴ , none of these address and measure directly the habits of resilient people. Thus, we wish to propose a short and simple measure to assess habits connected with resilience, labeled the “Dolan Web of Resilient Habits” (DWRH).⁵ Researchers and practitioners should be cautious about relying solely on this proposed measure and are encouraged to consider using a combination of scales, interviews, and observational methods to complement and obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the individual’s resilience habits.

Method 1: Visualizing the Web of Resilient Habits

Use the following four-point scale to assess your state of resilience based on your habits:

Place the score of each of the 10 habits on the DWRH template provided in Exhibit 2.

To see the web of resilience, you need to connect the dots and shade the area. All the habits that show low scores (0 or 1) need to be addressed first. This visual presentation can be very instrumental for wellness and resilience coaches.

Method 2: Calculating and interpreting the DWRH total score

In step 1, we offer a visual display of the web of habits. Here we propose another way to analyze the resilience index, by calculating the total score. To do that, sum up your choices to calculate a single composite score (which should be in the range of 0 to 30). Based on our experience, here is what the score means:⁶

Method 3: Personalized DWRH

Although the 10 habits are important to all, people are different in their needs and living circumstances, so there might be a variation in the influence of the habits on their resilience. For some, sleeping hours are critical; without a good sleep, they are nervous and everything stresses them; they cannot approach life’s stimuli rationally. For others, doing meaningless tasks is a source of stress. For them, the first habit is crucial.

To fit the DWRH into the aspects that characterize you, go through each of the habits we have described. Read them and ask yourself, “How important is this habit for my resilience?”⁷. Rate them on a scale of 1 to 3. Rate the habit as 1 if you think that it is important but you don’t believe that it will make a significant difference in your resilience. Rate 2 if you think that the habit is important for your resilience (but not essential). And rate the habit 3 if this habit is essential to your resilience and that, without practicing it, you may significantly damage your resilience.

In Table 1, place the importance of the habit and then enter the extent to which the habit exists (as in Method 1).

To visualize the personalized resilience, place the scores on a template (as shown in Exhibit 3). This visualization can help you evaluate the habits you should address first. The habits whose presence in your life are less than their importance, where the range column does not reach the height of the column indicating importance (the blue), are the ones that should be addressed first. Because the method can be easily used online (applying a simple Excel app). Exhibit 3 shows a screen shot of an imaginary result for a person being assessed.⁸

As in Method 2, and to get your personalized resilience score, calculate the importance and multiply it by each habit, so that you get a relative composite score of a habit. Then you can also sum them up to calculate your total resilience habit composite index (RCI), as shown in Table 2.

The personalized resilience habit compo-site index (RCI) could be placed in the range of 0-90 and can be interpreted as follows:

Conclusions

There is no doubt that resilience is becoming more and more important in the lives of people and especially in a work context. While resilience has been studied for many years and has been approached from many angles, the focus on habits of resilient people is innovative. In this paper, we have identified a set of 10 core habits of resilient people and offer three distinct methods to assess them and display the results, with the hope that it can be instrumental for professionals in resiliency and wellness coaching. Tools for resiliency and wellness coaching are essential components that should not be overlooked or underestimated in the field of coaching. These tools serve as the foundation for guiding individuals towards building strong mental and emotional resilience, as well as achieving overall well-being.

Tools provide a structured framework for both the coach and the client to navigate the coaching process. They act as a road map, guiding individuals through the various stages of personal growth and development. By utilizing tools, clients can gain clarity on their values, beliefs, aspirations and, most importantly, their habits in order to develop actionable steps towards achieving their desired outcomes. Tools for resiliency and wellness coaching like the one offered in this article serve as a source of empowerment. Hence, practicioners can focus on concrete strategies to enhance the resilience of their clients.

About the Authors

Dr. Simon L. Dolan (alias Dr. Simon) is a researcher, author, management consultant, and very solicited speaker. A prolific author (over 85 books), the creator of the Leading, Managing and Coaching by Values concept, methodology and tools. He has recently created the STRESS MAP tool, and the Stress2Resilience online app. He serves as the president of the Global Future of Work Foundation. Prof. Dolan is currently at Advantere School of Management. In 2024, he was awarded the Doctorate Honoris Cause (University of Huelva, Spain), and he was the 2023 recipient of the IFSAM Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management. Website: www.simondolan.com. Contact: info@simondolan.com

Dr. Miriam Diez Pinol is a certified Psychologist member of the Catalan College of Psychologists. She is a member of the executive board and secretary of the Global Future of Work Foundation. She was on the Faculty of ESADE and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and is currently a Master program director on Human Resource Management and Talent at EAE Business School. She has published numerous scientific papers and several books. Contact: Diezpinolm@gmail.com

Dr. Anat Garti is a social psychologist, a certified family and couple therapist, senior coach (MCIL), organizational consultant, groups instructor, and a lecturer in various academic institutes. She holds a BSc in psychology and computer science and an MA in psychology from the Bar-Ilan University, and a PhD from Haifa University. She provides consultation to couples and organizations on the topic of the “work-family interface” and conducts research on the dynamic relationship between the couple and their managers regarding the work-family interface. She is chief psychologist at the Israel Values Center. Website: www.values-center.co.il. Contact: anatgarti@gmail.com

Dr. Pedro Cesar Martínez Moran is the Director of the Master in Talent Management at Advantere School of Management. Since 2017, he has also been the Director of Master of HR at the Pontificia University of Comillas. In addition to academic work, he has worked in different roles as senior executive and senior consultant. Currently he is a member of the executive board of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). Contact: p.martinez@advantere.org

References:

1. Thorndike, E. L. (1905). The elements of psychology. New York: A. G. Seiler.

2. See for example: Roberta Antonini Philippe, Laurie Schwab, and Michele Biasutti (2021) “Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic”, Frontiers in Psychology, 12: 700742

3. More information in: Kathryn M. Connor, Jonathan R. T. Davidson (2003) “Development of a new resilience scale: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)”, Depression and Anxiety 18(2):76-82. doi: 10.1002/da.10113.

4. See: Bruce W. Smith, Naila deCruz-Dixon, Kaitlyn Schodt & Faerl Torres ( 2023) “Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)” in: Handbook of Assessment in Mindfulness Research Living reference work entry, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-77644-2_92-1

5. Note: The DWRH has not been tested empirically yet. It is based on content validity and feedback of participants in various workshops. It has been found very instrumental in coaching sessions where a coach works with a cochee to prioritize and work on resilience habits.

6. Note: The ranges indicated are only estimates; they were derived based on input from participants in multiple workshops. An empirical research support is still needed, and it is currently in progress.

7. This refinement was developed by Anat Garti, coauthor of this paper, and has been used previously in her research and writings. See for example: Anat Garti and Simon L. Dolan (2021) “Using the Triaxial Model of Values to Build Resilience in a COVID-19 VUCA World”, The European Business Review, January 16. https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/using-the-triaxial-model-of-values-to-build-resilience-in-a-COVID-19-vuca-world/ ; or Anat Garti and Simon L. Dolan (2019) “Managing by Values” (MBV): Innovative tools for successful micro behavioural conduct”, The European Business Review, November 25 https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/managing-by-values-mbv-innovative-tools-for-successful-micro-behavioural-conduct/

8. The advantage of this method is that it can also be used in an aggregate form to get a diagnosis for a team or any other group of people.

9. Note: the numbers in this example are the same as shown in Exhibit 2.

The post The 10 Core Habits of Resilient People: Concept and Tools for Resiliency and Wellness Professionals appeared first on The European Business Review.

Trust, a cornerstone of human relationships, is deeply rooted in neurobiology and essential for effective leadership. Here we explore the neuroscience behind trust, focusing on the role of hormones and brain regions, and consider how knowledge of these mechanisms can be useful to business leaders.

An Overview of the Neurobiology of Trust

The neuroscience basis of trust is a fascinating topic that considers the intricacies of the human brain and its ability to build and maintain strong relationships. Trust is a fundamental aspect of human relationships and is essential for social bonding and collaboration.² It is a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of cognitive, emotional, and social processes.

The neuroscience of trust is largely based on understanding the brain’s reward system, which is responsible for regulating our emotions and behaviors. Studies have shown that when we trust someone, our brains release several hormones that are associated with social bonding and attachment. The chemical reaction creates a sense of warmth, closeness, and intimacy, which reinforces the bond of trust between individuals.

Furthermore, the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain responsible for decision-making and social behavior, is involved in this process. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for evaluating social cues and determining whether someone is trustworthy. When we encounter someone who displays trustworthy behavior, the prefrontal cortex sends signals to the reward system, which reinforces the bond of trust.

However, other regions of the brain, such as the amygdala, play a crucial role as well. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, which can impact on our ability to trust others. When we encounter a potential threat, the amygdala sends signals to the prefrontal cortex to evaluate the situation and to determine whether it is safe to trust the other person.

Fundamentally, trust is the result of a complicated interaction between brain circuitry, emotional reactions, and cognitive processes. Recent developments in neuroscience have illuminated the complex processes governing our capacity for trust. Research has shown that when the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is activated, it signifies a person’s willingness to trust others.³ By reviewing research in which trust is a central component, we can better understand the elements of this model and their implications.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown a correlation between levels of trust and activity in the vmPFC; it exhibits increased activity when people play trust-based games, such as the Trust Game. Overall, the vmPFC plays a crucial role in processing trust-related information and influences how individuals make decisions in social interactions.

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying trust can provide insights into human behavior and relationships (see figure 1), especially in the corporate world.

Figure 1: The brain and the hormones connected to the concept of trust

The Key Role of Oxytocin and Implications for the World of Corporate Work

An important component in the neuroscience of trust is the neuropeptide oxytocin, also known as the “bonding hormone” or “love hormone”.⁴  Social bonding cues like physical touch, eye contact, and constructive social interactions cause the release of oxytocin, which has been found to enhance trust and promote prosocial behavior.⁵

Oxytocin has been found to enhance trust and promote prosocial behavior.

The impact of oxytocin on trust is mediated by its interactions with the vmPFC and the amygdala, two brain areas implicated in social cognition. By decreasing amygdala activity, oxytocin lowers fear and increases socially approachable behaviors.⁶ Furthermore, by making social benefits like cooperation and reciprocity more salient, oxytocin contributes to the development of trust-based relationships.⁷ These neurobiological mechanisms highlight the interconnectedness between brain regions involved in trust and emphasize the importance of understanding the chemistry and circuitry underlying trust to build and maintain trust when working in modern organizations.⁸

Figure 2: Oxytocin – the hormone of love and trust

So, in the corporate world, here are some of the key links between oxytocin, trust, and related concepts that affect stakeholders’ behavior, namely the conduct of leaders:

Increased Trust and Cooperation

Oxytocin has been found to promote trust and cooperation among individuals, which can greatly impact leadership behavior. For example, Zak et al. (2004) found that when individuals in a group were given oxytocin, they showed a higher level of trust towards their leader and were more likely to collaborate with others in the group. This may lead to leaders being more inclusive and supportive, fostering a sense of psychological safety within their teams.

Enhanced Empathy and Understanding

Oxytocin has been linked to increased empathy and understanding towards others. For instance, Hurlemann et al. (2010) found that participants who received intranasal oxytocin had a greater ability to recognize and understand facial expressions of emotions compared to those who received a placebo. This implies that leaders who have higher levels of oxytocin may exhibit a greater ability to understand the needs and emotions of their team members, enabling them to lead with more empathy and compassion.⁹

Improved Communication and Bonding

Oxytocin has been shown to facilitate communication and bonding between individuals. For example, De Dreu et al. (2010) found that participants who received intranasal oxytocin were more likely to display prosocial behavior, such as offering help and support to others, which in turn enhanced group cohesion. This finding suggests that leaders with heightened levels of oxytocin may exhibit stronger communication skills and foster a sense of collective identity within their teams, encouraging collaboration and loyalty.¹⁰

Increased Influential Power and Persuasion

Oxytocin has been associated with influencing others and enhancing persuasive abilities. For example, Kosfeld et al. (2005) found that individuals who received intranasal oxytocin were more likely to comply with requests and trust the person making the request. Thus, leaders with higher levels of oxytocin may be more effective in influencing and motivating their team members, leading to enhanced leadership behavior and the ability to achieve desired outcomes.¹¹

Reduced Stress and  Conflict Management

Oxytocin has been found to have stress-reducing effects and promote conflict management. For instance, Heinrichs et al. (2003) showed that the administration of oxytocin led to reduced stress responses and improved conflict resolution skills. Their research indicates that leaders who have higher levels of oxytocin may be better equipped to manage stressful situations, maintain team harmony, and resolve conflicts, leading to a more positive work environment.¹²

The Dopamine System, Trust, and the Implications for the Corporate World

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is also essential in determining how actions connected to trust are shaped. Dopamine is well recognized for its functions in motivation, reward processing, and reinforcement learning.¹³ According to recent research, dopaminergic pathways affect how people anticipate and value social rewards, which likely affects decisions about trust.¹⁴ All in all, research suggests that when individuals experience a release of dopamine in their brains, they are more likely to engage in trusting behaviors, which leads to stronger relationships and collaborations. This can contribute to enhanced teamwork, problem-solving, and overall corporate success.

Understanding the role of dopamine in trust can provide insight into how individuals navigate social interactions and form relationships. For example, studies employing neuroimaging methods and pharmacological treatments have demonstrated a correlation between dopamine receptor activation in the ventral striatum and actions related to trust, such as a greater readiness to accept interpersonal risks.¹⁵ Here are some potential implications, as informed by prior research:

When serotonin levels are sufficient, individuals tend to exhibit more trusting behaviour.

Dopamine plays a crucial role in enhancing empathy, a critical element for building trust at work. When people have increased levels of dopamine, they tend to be more sensitive to the emotional states of others, leading to a better understanding of their colleagues’ perspectives and concerns. This heightened empathy can enhance trust and promote clear communication.

Trust often involves taking risks, and dopamine can influence an individual’s willingness to take such risks. Studies have shown that dopamine can reduce risk aversion and increase the willingness to trust others, even in uncertain situations. This may lead to more willingness to trust coworkers in the corporate world.

Dopamine is closely linked to the brain’s reward system, and it plays a significant role in motivating behavior. When individuals experience rewards or victories, their dopamine levels increase, reinforcing their trust in the corporate environment. This reward-based motivation is likely to enhance employee engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, which are crucial factors for long-term corporate success.

In summary, dopamine affects trust by enhancing prosocial behavior and empathy, mitigating risk aversion, and motivating reward-based behavior.

Serotonin, Trust, and Leadership Conduct

Serotonin, which is another chemical messenger in the brain, has also been linked to various aspects of trusting behavior. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood. Serotonin is primarily known to promote feelings of happiness and well-being, which have a direct impact on an individual’s willingness to trust others. When serotonin levels are sufficient, individuals tend to exhibit more trusting behavior, believing that others have their best interests at heart.

Serotonin also plays a crucial role in regulating sleep, appetite, and many other physiological processes in the body. It is often referred to as the “happy chemical,” because it contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. Various studies have shown a correlation between serotonin levels and positive feelings. Research has found that individuals with higher levels of serotonin tend to experience increased positive mood states, such as happiness, contentment, and pleasure.¹⁶ Other researchers reported higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. “Positive affect” refers to experiencing positive emotions and feelings, whereas “negative affect” refers to experiencing negative emotions and feelings.

Excessive levels of cortisol can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being.

Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that medications that increase serotonin levels, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders. These medications not only alleviate symptoms of these disorders but also often lead to an improved overall sense of well-being and positive mood.

So, you might ask what all this has to do with trust. Well, when leaders feel respected at work, we argue that it boosts serotonin levels by enhancing their self-confidence and sense of trust. They effectively inspire trust among their followers, which contributes to their ability to build strong connections and establish a sense of security within their teams. In short, we propose that serotonin may play a role in such leadership examples by promoting feelings of social connection, positivity, and confidence, which are essential components of fostering trust within a team.

Cortisol Levels, Trust, and Leadership Role

Cortisol, commonly referred to as the “stress hormone”, can also play a significant role in trust by affecting our body’s response to stressful situations. At the same time, excessive levels of cortisol can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being. Specifically, when a leader experiences chronic stress or possesses a leadership style that induces stress in their followers, it can lead to increased cortisol levels and subsequently lower trust levels within the team. Here are some possible effects of high cortisol levels on a leader that decrease the trust level of their followers:

Impaired decision-making

Elevated cortisol levels impair cognitive functioning and decision-making abilities. Leaders experiencing chronic stress may struggle to make rational decisions.

Emotional dysregulation

When cortisol levels are high, leaders may be more prone to emotional outbursts, mood swings, or an overwhelmed state, which can create an atmosphere of unpredictability and unease within the team. Such emotional volatility erodes trust, because followers struggle to anticipate or understand their leader’s reactions.

Communication breakdown

Stress-induced cortisol release can impair effective communication. The leader may exhibit poor listening skills, be dismissive of others’ opinions, or fail to communicate their expectations clearly.

Reduced empathy and engagement

High levels of cortisol can dampen empathy and diminish the leader’s ability to connect with their followers emotionally. A leader who lacks empathy and fails to understand others’ perspectives may appear distant, self-centered, or unsupportive. This diminishes trust, as followers feel unheard, unacknowledged, or undervalued, leading to decreased engagement and commitment to the leader’s vision.

Inconsistent leadership style

Stress-induced cortisol release may also contribute to inconsistent leadership behavior. Leaders under chronic stress may oscillate between micromanagement and neglect, strictness and leniency, or indecisiveness and impulsivity. These inconsistencies erode trust, as followers are unsure about the leader’s expectations or reactions, leading to a feeling of being left in a constant state of uncertainty.

The Neurobiological Basis of Leadership and the Hormonal Characteristics of Toxic Leaders

Toxic leadership is characterized by leaders who, intentionally or not, engage in destructive, reckless, and / or incompetent behavior towards their subordinates, leading to negative outcomes for both individuals and organizations.

Leadership presence is a combination of trust, charisma, and the ability to inspire others. It involves being able to communicate effectively, make decisions with authority, and lead by example. The underlying hypothesis is that every leader can build trust.¹⁷ While effective leaders do not necessarily have specific hormonal characteristics, certain hormones can influence key traits and behaviors associated with effective leadership. It is important to note that factors such as genetics, environment, and individual characteristics also influence leadership behavior and effectiveness. Additionally, hormone levels can vary greatly among individuals.

Facts, fads, and some propositions about the neurobiology of toxic leaders

Toxic leadership is characterized by leaders who, intentionally or not, engage in destructive, reckless, and / or incompetent behavior towards their subordinates, leading to negative outcomes for both individuals and organizations.¹⁸ While it is difficult to pinpoint specific hormones associated with toxic leaders, there are certain behaviors and qualities often observed in toxic leaders. Here are some examples:

Narcissism

Toxic leaders often display an excessive sense of self-importance and seek admiration from others. They put their own interests above those of their team and may exploit or manipulate subordinates for personal gain. Research has shown that certain hormones, such as dopamine, can influence both narcissistic traits and toxic leadership behavior. Dopamine is associated with dominance, aggression, and risk-taking, which aligns with the behaviors exhibited by narcissistic and toxic leaders. However, it is important to note that not all individuals with narcissistic traits become toxic leaders, and not all toxic leaders display narcissistic traits. Other factors, such as upbringing, organizational culture, and individual experiences, can also contribute to the development of toxic leadership behaviors.

Authoritarianism

Toxic leaders tend to exhibit a dictatorial and controlling leadership style. They maintain a strict hierarchical structure and enforce compliance through fear, intimidation, or punishment. Research suggests that there can be a relationship between authoritarianism, toxic leadership, and hormonal base. These findings suggest that high cortisol levels may be associated with more authoritarian behavior, and thus provide empirical evidence to support this association.

Lack of empathy

Toxic leaders often exhibit a lack of concern for the well-being and feelings of others. They may be insensitive to their needs, dismissive of their concerns, or show no remorse for their actions. Previously, we argued that hormones, such as oxytocin and cortisol, play a crucial role in empathy and social bonding. Thus, low levels of oxytocin can be associated with non-empathetic leaders and antisocial behaviors. Similarly, increased levels of cortisol can be linked with reduced empathy and a higher likelihood of toxic leadership behaviors. This logic follows the effects of chronic stress and burnout on toxic leadership, as the biological chain disrupts hormonal balance, further impairing empathetic responses.¹⁹

How Can Leaders Embed Principles of Neuroscience to Enhance Corporate Trust?

We will close by offering eight leadership behaviors critical to fostering trust which are based on the principles of neurobiology.

1. Recognize excellence: Neuroscience shows that recognition has the largest effect on trust when it occurs immediately after a goal has been met, when it comes from peers, and when it is tangible, unexpected, personal, and public. Public recognition not only uses the power of the crowd to celebrate successes, but also inspires others to aim for excellence.
2.  Induce “challenge stress”: When a manager assigns a team a difficult but achievable goal, the moderate stress of the task releases neurochemicals, including oxytocin and adrenocorticotropin, that intensify people’s focus and strengthen social connections.
3. Provide autonomy: Once employees have been trained, allow them, whenever possible, discretion in how they do their work. In essence, show that you trust them to be able to figure things out. Autonomy is a central human need that builds trust. For example, a 2014 study by the Families and Work Institute in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management found that 46 per cent of employees would prefer flexibility in work scheduling over a pay raise.²⁰  And a 2015 survey conducted by FlexJobs, an online job search platform, found that 45 per cent of respondents would accept a pay cut for more flexibility in their job.²¹
4. Enable job crafting: Job crafting is a process where employees take proactive steps to redesign their jobs. It normally involves changing tasks, relationships, and perceptions of the jobs to fit the individual’s needs, passions, strengths, and motives. When companies trust employees to choose which projects they’ll work on, people focus their energies on what they care about most. As a result, organizations like the Morning Star Company, the largest producer of tomato products in the world, have highly productive colleagues who stay with the company year after year.
5. Share information broadly: According to recent research by Chris Zook of Bain and Company, only 40 per cent of employees across organizations have any idea what the goals of their company are. Forty per cent – that’s a staggering number. That means that 60 per cent of the team are wandering around, investing effort moving in directions that aren’t contributing to the company focus.²² This uncertainty about the company’s direction leads to chronic stress, which inhibits the release of oxytocin and undermines teamwork. Opening communication lines shows employees that you trust them with sensitive information.
6. Intentionally build relationships: Oxytocin activation and processing developed over years of human evolution. This means that the trust and sociality that oxytocin enables are deeply embedded in our nature. Yet, at work, we often get the message that we should focus on completing tasks, not on making friends. Neuroscience experiments show that when people intentionally build social ties at work, their performance improves.
7.  Facilitate whole-person growth: High-trust workplaces help people develop personally as well as professionally. Numerous studies show that acquiring new work skills isn’t enough; if you’re not growing as a human being, your performance will suffer. High-trust companies adopt a growth mindset when developing talent.
8.  Show vulnerability: Leaders in high-trust workplaces ask for help from colleagues instead of just telling them to do things. This stimulates oxytocin production in others, increasing their trust and cooperation. Asking for help is a sign of a secure leader – one who engages everyone to reach goals.

Conclusion

Understanding the neurobiology of trust reveals the profound impact that brain mechanisms, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters have on trust-building within organizations. By exploring the roles of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, oxytocin, dopamine, and other hormones, we gain valuable insights into how trust is formed, maintained, and enhanced in the workplace. Trust is not merely an abstract concept but a tangible neurobiological process that influences decision-making, motivation, and collaboration.

Effective leadership is pivotal in fostering trust, involving elements such as delegation, empowerment, effective communication, and consistency. Leaders who demonstrate these qualities can create an environment where employees feel psychologically safe, valued, and motivated to contribute. Additionally, organizational practices like recognition, transparency, and genuine care further solidify trust among team members.

Ultimately, a strong sense of purpose and alignment between leadership vision and team values underpins corporate trust. Leaders who inspire with clear direction, meaningful goals, and opportunities for growth can drive their teams towards shared objectives, creating a cohesive and motivated workforce. By prioritizing trust, organizations can enhance employee engagement, performance, and overall success, fostering a positive and productive corporate culture.

About the Authors

Simon L. Dolan (alias Dr. Simon) is a full professor and senior researcher of HRM and Work Psychology at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comillas, Duesto and Georgetown Universities). A former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School, he has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referees’ journals. He is also the co-founder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. His work, consulting, and research are about values, leadership, coaching, stress management, and resilience, as well as issues connected to the future of work. He is a member of the editorial board of half a dozen scientific journals. See his full bio at: www.simondolan.com.

Kyle Brykman is an Assistant Professor of Management and the VPRI Early Career Research Chair in Leadership at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor. Kyle’s mission is to help people lead happier, healthier, and more productive lives, which he accomplishes through high-quality research, evidence-based teaching, and engaging training and coaching. Kyle’s research focuses on employee voice and interpersonal team dynamics. He holds a PhD in Management (Organizational Behavior) from Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, an MSc in Management from Wilfrid Laurier University, and an HBA from Ivey School of Business. His email: kyle.brykman@uwindsor.ca.

Javier S. Casademunt is a consultant and the director of the Brazilian brantch of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). He has served for many years as the director for Brazil, and academic collaborator of the Strategy and General Management Department at ESADE Business School. He is the founder and CEO of the Neuromentoring Institute of Florida. He is a visiting professor to several top business schools in Latin America, and an expert in the areas of leadership, mental health, resilience, and performance. He has more than 20 years of successful experience in managing, teaching, and consulting for companies, governments, and top leaders globally. His email address is javier@javiercasademunt.com, and his website is www.javiercasademunt.com.

Miriam Diez Pinyol has been a university professor in multiple academic institutions since 1999. She is a psychologist, an active member of the College of Psychologists in Catalunya. She obtained her PhD from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She specializes in the management of people and work psychology. She is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Global future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com) . She is a former senior researcher at the Institute for Labor Studies at ESADE Business School. She has published numerous articles in quality scientific journals and coauthored two books (in Spanish) published by McGraw Hill. More of her bio can be found on LinkedIn. Her email: diezpinolm@gmail.com.

References

1. This article is based on Chapter 11 in a forthcoming book by Dolan, S.L. Brykman, K., and Diez, M. (in Spanish), entitled (in its translation into English) Cracking the Trust Code: Unraveling the Art and Science Behind Building It, McGraw Hill (2024, forthcoming).

2. For more on trust see Dolan, S.L., Brykman, K., and Tzafrir, S., (2024), “Trust-Me: A Concept and Metric to Embed in Leaders, Enhancing Their Effectiveness”, The European Business Review, March 22.

3. See: Sheppard, B.H., and Sherman, D.M. (1998), “The Grammars of Trust: A Model and General Implications”, Academy of Management, 23(3), 422-37. July 1.

4. Zak, P.J., Kurzban, R., and Matzner, W.T. (2005), “Oxytocin is associated with human trustworthiness”. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.07.009, December 1.

5. Schultz, C.D. (2006). “A trust framework model for situational contexts”. https://doi.org/10.1145/1501434.1501494, October 30

6. Nave, G., Camerer, C.F., and McCullough, M.E. (2015), “Does Oxytocin Increase Trust in Humans? A Critical Review of Research”. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615600138, November 1.

7. Rimmele, U., Hediger, K., Heinrichs, M., and Klaver, P. (2009), “Oxytocin Makes a Face in Memory Familiar”. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.4260-08.2009, January 7.

8. Sheppard and Sherman, (1998). Op. cit.

9. René Hurlemann, Alexandra Patin, Oezguer A. Onur, Michael X. Cohen, Tobias Baumgartner, Sarah Metzler, Isabel Dziobek, Juergen Gallinat, Michael Wagner, Wolfgang Maier, Keith M. Kendrick (2010), “Oxytocin enhances amygdala-dependent, socially reinforced learning and emotional empathy in humans”, Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5538-09.2010 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20371820/

10. Carsten, K.W. De Dreu, Lindred L. Greer, Michel J.J. Handgraaf, Shaul Shalvi, Gerben A. Van Kleef, Matthijs Baas, Femke S. Ten Velden, Eric Van Dijk, Sander W.W. Feith (2010), “The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates parochial altruism in intergroup conflict among humans”. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.ngov/20538951/

11. Michael Kosfeld, Markus Heinrichs, Paul J. Zak, Urs Fischbacher, and Ernst Fehr (2005), “Oxytocin increases trust in humans”, Nature, vol. 435, 673–6.

12. Markus Heinrichs, Thomas Baumgartner, Clemens Kirschbaum, Ulrike Ehlert (2003), “Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress”, Biol Psychiatry, December 15, 54(12):1389-98.

13. Dolan, S.L., Brykman, K., (2022), “The use of dopamine to enhance resilience in a post-COVID-19 era”, The European Business Review, January-February. extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://simondolan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TEBR_JanFeb2022_resilience_in_a_postCOVID-19era.pdf

14. Fareri, D.S. (2019), “Neurobehavioral mechanisms supporting trust and reciprocity. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00271, August 13.

15. See: Zebrowitz, L.A., Boshyan, J., Ward, N., Hanlin, L., Wolf, J.M., and Hadjikhani, N. (2018), “Dietary dopamine depletion blunts reward network sensitivity to face trustworthiness”. April 5 https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881118758303 and Fairley, K., Vyrastekova, J., Weitzel, U., and Sanfey, A.G. (2019), “Subjective beliefs about trust and reciprocity activate an expected reward signal in the ventral striatum”. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.00660, June 26.

16. Dariush Dfarhud, Maryam Malmir, and Mohammad Khanahmadi (2014), “Happiness and health: the biological factors – Systematic Review Article, Iran Journal of Public Health, November; 43(11): 1468–77. See also: Rebecca Alexander, Oriana R. Aragón, Jamila Bookwala, Nicolas Cherbuin, Justine M. Gatt, Ian J. Kahrilas, Niklas Kästner, Alistair Lawrence, Leroy Lowe, Robert G. Morrison, Sven C. Mueller, Robin Nusslock, Christos Papadelis, Kelly L. Polnaszek, S. Helene Richter, Rebecca L. Silton, Charis Styliadis (2021), “The neuroscience of positive emotions and affect: Implications for cultivating happiness and wellbeing”, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 121, February 2021, pp. 220-49.

17. Dolan, Brykman, and Tzafrir (2024) “Trust me”, Op. cit.

18. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1548051819833374

19. Dolan (2023) De-Stress at Work, Routledge.

20. Source: “Family and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers” by Ellen Galinsky, Kelly Sakai, and Tyler Wigton.

21. Source: “2015 Annual Survey on Workplace Flexibility” by Brie Reynolds and Carol Cochran.

22. Published by HBR. See: https://hbr.org/podcast/2012/03/good-strategys-non-negotiables.html

The post Unraveling the Neurobiology of Trust and Its Application to Leadership Roles appeared first on The European Business Review.

By Simon L. Dolan, Adnane Belout, Jean-Luc Cerdin, and Javier Casademunt¹

Introduction

Organisational resilience refers to an organisation’s ability to adapt, respond, and recover from disruptive events and changes in its environment. In a VUCA world, which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, organisational resilience becomes even more crucial.

To become resilient, the organisation needs to develop certain characteristics that were not so crucial in running the business in former years but have become so essential in today’s business. For a firm, not being able to adjust quickly may lead to death and extinction. The objective of this article is to describe the principal features of organisational resilience, with an emphasis on culture, structure, leadership, and other relevant features.

What are resilient organisations according to Deloitte’s 2020 report?²

To become resilient, the organisation needs to develop certain characteristics that were not so crucial in running the business in former years but have become so essential in today’s business

In the wake of a tumultuous 2020, Deloitte Global’s fourth annual readiness report explores the concept of organisational resilience. Deloitte consultants wanted to know how organisations were coping with the unexpected challenges they faced in the past year and get their opinions about what made their organisations able to withstand chaos. From that analysis, they sought to identify what traits define resilient organisations – traits business leaders can emulate to build greater resilience into their own organisations.

The Deloitte report has identified five characteristics of resilient organisations that enabled and promoted nimble strategies, adaptive cultures, and the implementation and effective use of advanced technology. Businesses that were able to bounce back from unexpected challenges typically were:

1. Prepared. Most successful CXOs³ plan for eventualities, both short- and long-term. More than 85 per cent of CXOs whose organisations successfully balance addressing short- and long-term priorities felt they had pivoted very effectively to adapt to the events of 2020, whereas fewer than half of organisations without that balance felt the same.
2. Adaptable. Leaders recognise the importance of having versatile employees, especially after a year like 2020. To that end, flexibility / adaptability was, by far, the workforce trait that CXOs said was most critical to their organisations’ future.
3. Collaborative. CXOs indicated the importance of collaboration within their organisations, noting that it speeded up decision-making, mitigated risk, and led to increased innovation. In fact, removing silos and increasing collaboration was one of the top strategic actions CXOs took before and during 2020.
4. Trustworthy. CXOs understand the challenge of building trust. More than a third of responding CXOs were not confident that their organisations had succeeded in developing trust between leaders and employees. Those who are succeeding are focusing on improving communication and transparency with key stakeholders, as well as leading with empathy.
5. Responsible. Most CXOs acknowledge that the business world has a responsibility beyond the bottom line. Eighty-seven per cent of surveyed CXOs who said they had done very well at balancing all their stakeholders’ needs also felt that their organisations were able to adapt and pivot quickly in response to disruptive events. That’s nearly 50 percentage points more than the proportion of CXOs who said the same at organisations that hadn’t done well at balancing their stakeholders’ needs.

A culture of business resilience

The culture of business resilience is a mindset and set of values that prioritise the ability to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of adversity or disruption. It involves a proactive approach to risk management and a commitment to building and maintaining the necessary capabilities to withstand and recover from various challenges.

The culture of business resilience includes the following key features, which include some that were described in the Deloitte report, as well as many more:

Key Feature I: Preparedness

The organisation must be proactive in identifying and assessing potential risks and vulnerabilities and take steps to mitigate them before they occur. This includes having robust contingency plans in place and regularly testing and updating them.

• Risk assessment and contingency planning: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities. This includes analysing internal and external factors such as political instability, economic fluctuations, natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, and supply chain disruptions.
• Maintain, diversify, and strengthen supply chains: Relying on a single supplier or location can be risky. Businesses should consider diversifying their supply chains, sourcing from multiple regions, and establishing alternative suppliers.
• Ensure robust cybersecurity measures: With increasing cyber threats, businesses must prioritise cybersecurity preparedness. Implement strong security systems, regularly update software, train employees on cybersecurity best practices, and have incident response plans to quickly address any breaches or attacks.
• Foster a culture that encourages innovation and flexibility: This will enable quick decision-making and the ability to pivot when needed. Regularly assess market trends and customer needs to stay ahead of the competition.
• Strengthen financial resilience: Maintain a healthy financial position to weather uncertainties. Have adequate cash reserves, diversify revenue streams, and establish relationships with financial institutions.
• Have a crisis communication plan in place: Establish a comprehensive crisis communication plan to effectively communicate with employees, customers, stakeholders, and the public during times of uncertainty or crisis.
• Invest in employee training and well-being: This will enhance employees’ skills and knowledge, making them more adaptable to changing circumstances.
• Conduct scenario-planning exercises: This helps to anticipate potential future events and their impact on the business.
• Implement continuous monitoring and evaluation routine plans: Reassess the effectiveness of preparedness measures. Stay updated on emerging risks and trends and adapt strategies accordingly.

Key Feature II: Agility

An agile organisation refers to a company or institution that embraces the principles of agility in its operations, decision-making processes, and overall organisational structure. This is characterised by its ability to quickly adapt, respond to changes, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving business environment. Here are a few examples of agile organisations:

An agile organisation refers to a company or institution that embraces the principles of agility in its operations, decision-making processes, and overall organisational structure.

• Spotify: Is known for its agile organisational structure, where teams work in small, autonomous squads that make decisions independently, experiment with new ideas, and adapt to changing customer needs.
• Amazon: Is renowned for its agility, driven by its customer-centric approach. It encourages employees to experiment, take risks, and learn from failures.
• Zappos: Is an online shoe and clothing retailer that has built an agile organisation by focusing on core values such as customer service, employee empowerment, and innovation.
• Google: Is known for its ability to adapt to changing market conditions and continuously innovate. It promotes a culture of experimentation.
• Toyota: Is often cited as an example of an agile organisation due to its renowned Toyota Production System (TPS), which emphasises continuous improvement, waste reduction, and the empowerment of employees to identify and solve problems.

These organisations showcase different approaches to agility, but all share a common focus on flexibility, adaptability, and continuous improvement to remain successful in dynamic business environments.

Key Feature III: Learning and Innovation

Many studies show that an organisation that has a culture of continuous learning and improvement encourages employees to learn from past experiences and uses them to inform future actions. It also fosters an environment of innovation, where new ideas and approaches are encouraged and supported.

Overall, a learning and innovation culture is essential for business resilience. It enables organisations to embrace change, continuously improve, solve problems creatively, take calculated risks, share knowledge, and stay future-ready. These attributes help businesses withstand challenges and thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Key Feature IV: Collaboration and Communication

An organisation that is transparent about its common values and communicates them to the workforce repeatedly, both to internal and external stakeholders, promotes collaboration across different functions and departments, as well as with external partners and stakeholders. This enables the sharing of information, expertise, and resources, which is critical in times of crisis.

Sharing and leveraging values allows individuals and teams to share their knowledge, expertise, and experiences. This sharing of information helps organisations to better understand their challenges and potential solutions, enabling them to adapt and respond effectively to disruptions or crises.

Collaboration and effective communication foster trust and build strong relationships among team members and departments. This trust enables individuals to rely on each other, share information freely, and work together towards common goals, even in challenging times.⁴ Strong relationships also help organisations to mobilise resources, access external support, and leverage partnerships to enhance their resilience.

Key Feature V: Leadership and Corresponding Accountability

The organisation’s leaders must be committed to building a culture of resilience by setting the tone from the top. They should lead by example, demonstrating resilience themselves, and hold themselves and others accountable for maintaining resilience capabilities.

Accomplished leaders can sustain organisational resilience by articulating and communicating a clear vision of where the organisation is headed. This helps in building a sense of purpose and direction within the organisation, enabling it to adapt and bounce back from challenges.

Sometimes, it is easier to describe the characteristics of an effective and resilient leader by focusing on the antithesis, leaders whose actions can become counterproductive to themselves and to their organisation. Among the features of such anti-resiliency leaders, we can identify:

• Employing a strategy of personal attacks and bullying: Social media platforms often witness political or business leaders engaging in personal attacks and bullying tactics against their opponents. This not only sets a negative example to the public but also distracts from meaningful debates and discussions on important issues.
• Lack of transparency: Instead of using social media to provide transparent and honest communication, some leaders may use it as a tool to obfuscate or manipulate information. This can erode trust in public institutions and contribute to a growing sense of cynicism among the public.
• Oversimplification of complex issues: Twitter’s character limit can lead to oversimplification of complex issues by political or business leaders. This can result in nuanced topics being reduced to sound bites and slogans, failing to address the intricacies and complexities that require thoughtful analysis and discussion.
• Inciting violence or hate speeches: Political or business leaders with a large following on social media can potentially use their platforms to incite violence or spread hate speech. Such messages can contribute to a toxic online environment and have real-world consequences, including acts of violence or discrimination.
• Lack of accountability: Social media platforms often lack effective mechanisms to hold political or business leaders accountable for their messages. This can allow leaders to spread false information, engage in unethical behaviour, or avoid taking responsibility for their actions.
• Bombarding with spam messages: This happens when the leader bombards their followers with excessive promotional content or irrelevant information, without providing any real value or engaging with their audience.

Key Feature VI: Controlling Emotions – Emotional Intelligence

Resilient leaders are empathetic and understand the emotions and concerns of their employees. They can provide emotional support, foster a positive work environment, and help employees cope with adversity, thus enhancing the overall resilience of the organisation.

Overall, emotional intelligence leaders can build strong relationships, promote a positive work culture, encourage open communication, manage conflicts effectively, and adapt to change, contributing to the organisation’s ability to withstand and recover from adversity.

Key Feature VII: Building a Capable Team

Accomplished leaders understand the importance of building a strong and capable team. They hire the right talent, provide them with the necessary resources and support, and empower them to take ownership of their work. This creates a resilient workforce that can effectively respond to and overcome challenges. In other words, a leader who builds a capable team contributes to business resilience by ensuring that the team is equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to handle challenges and adapt to change. Here are some ways in which such a leader fosters business resilience.

Key Feature VIII: Promote Genuine Employee Well-Being

A real must for organisational resilience is the recognition of the importance of the well-being of the employees. This promotes work-life balance, provides resources for mental and physical health, and offers support during challenging times, helping to build a resilient workforce that can effectively cope with stress and adversity⁵.

Healthy employees are better equipped to deal with adversaries for several reasons:

• Healthy employees have higher physical stamina and energy levels, allowing them to handle challenging situations more effectively.
• Good physical health is closely linked to mental well-being. Healthy employees are more likely to have better cognitive function, including improved memory, focus, and problem-solving abilities.
• Physical fitness and overall health contribute to emotional stability. Healthy employees are better equipped to handle stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions that may arise when dealing with adversaries.
• Good health boosts the immune system, making healthy employees less susceptible to illness and more resistant to the physical effects of stress.
• Maintaining good health often involves adhering to healthy habits and self-care routines.
• Healthy employees are more likely to engage in teamwork and to contribute positively to team efforts, which can be crucial when dealing with issues that require collective problem-solving and cooperation.

Towards a systemic view of organisational resilience

An interesting angle from which to view organisational resilience is to examine the organisation in a more holistic and systemic perspective. Figure 1 proposes the principal subsystems that need to be analysed and strengthened to build organisational resilience.

Figure 1: A systemic view of organisational resilience

Let’s add a few words on each of the six subsystems that operate in every organisation.

Subsystem I – Workforce & Leadership Resilience

Workforce and leadership resilience refers to the ability of individuals and organisations to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of challenges and adversity in the workplace. It encompasses the skills, attitudes, and resources necessary to navigate and overcome stress, change, and uncertainty.

Here are some examples of firms that, over the years, have shown the resiliency of their workforce:

• Johnson & Johnson: Is a multinational pharmaceutical and consumer goods company that has a reputation for its strong commitment to employee well-being and resilience. They provide extensive employee support programmes, including mental health resources and stress management initiatives, which help their workforce stay resilient in the face of challenges.
• Southwest Airlines: Is known for its resilient workforce, which invests heavily in employee training and development and fosters a sense of camaraderie and support among its staff.
• Netflix: Is a popular streaming service known for its innovative and resilient workforce and embraces a culture of freedom and responsibility, allowing employees to take risks and learn from failures.

Obviously, and as we have discussed before, to nurture workforce resilience, leaders need to withstand and adapt to the challenges, setbacks, and uncertainty while maintaining a positive and proactive approach. They possess a strong sense of purpose, emotional intelligence, and the ability to make tough decisions in the face of adversity and “sell it to the workforce” as a real necessity.

Subsystem II – Strategic Resilience

Accomplished leaders understand the importance of building a strong and capable team. They hire the right talent, provide them with the necessary resources and support, and empower them to take ownership of their work.

Strategic corporate resilience refers to a company’s ability to withstand and adapt to various internal and external challenges while maintaining its long-term goals and competitive advantage. It involves proactive measures and preparedness to navigate through uncertainties and disruptions. Here are a few examples of strategic corporate resilience:

• Diversification: For instance, an electronics manufacturer that produces smartphones may diversify into wearable technology or home appliances to reduce its dependency on a single product line.
• Sustainable practices: Companies can demonstrate resilience by adopting sustainable practices that help them mitigate risks associated with environmental and social issues. An example might be an energy company investing in renewable energy sources to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and comply with changing regulations.
• Crisis management: Building a robust crisis management plan is crucial for corporate resilience. This involves identifying potential risks, establishing clear communication channels, and implementing protocols to effectively respond to crises.
• Innovation and technology adoption: Embracing innovation and leveraging emerging technologies can enhance a company’s resilience. An example could be an automotive manufacturer investing in electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology to adapt to changing consumer preferences and industry trends.
• Supply chain resilience: This includes diversifying suppliers, creating redundancies, and implementing risk management strategies. For instance, an apparel retailer might maintain relationships with multiple suppliers across different regions to mitigate risks associated with disruptions in a single country.
• Talent management: Investing in talent development and retention strategies is essential for corporate resilience. This involves creating a culture of learning and innovation, providing opportunities for skill development, and having a succession plan in place to ensure continuity in leadership.

Subsystem III – Technological Resilience

Corporate technological resilience refers to a company’s ability to withstand and recover from technological disruptions, including cyberattacks, system failures, or emerging technologies. It involves having robust technology infrastructure, effective cybersecurity measures, and the ability to adapt and innovate in the face of technological advancements. Here are a few examples:

• IBM: In the 1990s, IBM faced significant challenges due to the rise of personal computers, but the company successfully transformed itself by shifting its focus towards services and consulting. This resilience helped IBM stay relevant and thrive in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
• Microsoft: Microsoft has demonstrated technological resilience through its ability to address security vulnerabilities and respond to cyberattacks. For instance, after the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017, it quickly released patches and updates to protect its systems and help customers mitigate the risks.
• Amazon: Amazon’s technological resilience is evident in its cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), which offers a highly reliable and scalable infrastructure, enabling businesses to build resilient applications and withstand technological disruptions. Recently, they have also incorporated AI technologies into their services and products to strengthen the company’s resilience.
• Tesla: Tesla has revolutionised the automotive industry by introducing electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies. Tesla’s resilience is focused on embracing new technologies.
• JPMorgan Chase: One of the largest banks globally, the company demonstrates technological resilience by investing in cybersecurity and developing advanced fraud detection systems. It is continuously enhancing the technology infrastructure to protect customer data and prevent cyberattacks.

Subsystem IV – Financial Resilience

Financial corporate resilience refers to the ability of a company to withstand and recover from financial shocks or disruptions, such as economic downturns, market volatility, natural disasters, or regulatory changes. It involves having strategies, policies, and practices in place to mitigate risks and ensure the long-term stability and sustainability of the company’s financial position.

Examples of financial corporate resilience measures include:

• Diversification of revenue streams: By diversifying their revenue streams across different products, services, or geographical regions, companies can reduce their exposure to specific risks. For example, a technology company may diversify its revenue by offering both hardware and software products.
• Strong capital and liquidity management: Maintaining adequate capital reserves and liquidity buffers is crucial for withstanding financial shocks. They ensure sufficient cash flow, access to credit facilities, and a well-structured debt profile in any given context of distress.
• Risk management and contingency planning: This is essential for identifying and mitigating potential risks. Companies that prioritise risk management conduct regular stress tests, scenario analyses, and have contingency plans in place. For instance, financial institutions may stress-test their portfolios to evaluate the impact of adverse market movements on their capital positions.
• Sustainable cost management: Prudent cost management is vital for financial resilience. Companies that maintain a disciplined approach to cost control can better weather economic downturns or market volatility.
• Adapting to changing market conditions: This involves quickly adapting to changing market dynamics, monitoring industry trends, customer preferences, and regulatory changes to identify potential risks and opportunities. For example, companies that successfully transition from traditional brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce have demonstrated financial resilience.
• Robust corporate governance: Sound corporate governance practices contribute to financial resilience by ensuring effective oversight, risk management, and accountability. Such companies have independent boards, transparent decision-making processes, and effective internal controls. In the end, this fosters confidence among investors and stakeholders, helping to maintain financial stability.

It is important to note that financial corporate resilience is not a one-size-fits-all concept, and the specific measures taken by companies may vary based on their industry, size, and other factors.

Subsystem V – Operational Resilience

Operational corporate resilience refers to an organisation’s ability to withstand and adapt to various internal and external disruptions while maintaining critical operations and delivering value to stakeholders. It involves strategies, processes, and structures designed to identify, assess, and mitigate risks and vulnerabilities that could impact the organisation’s ability to function effectively.

Examples of operational corporate resilience measures include:

• Business continuity planning: It is essential to ensure that the business functions during and after a disruption. This includes identifying critical processes, establishing backup systems and infrastructure, and creating communication protocols.
• Incident response and crisis management: Establishing protocols and procedures to effectively respond to incidents and crises. This includes defining roles and responsibilities, establishing communication channels, and conducting regular drills and simulations to test response capabilities.
• Employee resilience: Building resilience within the workforce by providing training and support to employees, as discussed earlier.

Line management plays a crucial role in operational corporate resilience. They are responsible for implementing and enforcing resilience measures within their respective departments. Line managers are involved in identifying and assessing risks, developing and implementing business continuity plans, and ensuring that employees are trained and prepared to respond to disruptions. They also play a key role in communicating and coordinating response efforts during incidents or crises.

Subsystem VI – Brand Resilience

Corporate brand resilience refers to a company’s ability to withstand and recover from various challenges, crises, or negative events without significant damage to its brand reputation. It involves implementing measures to protect the brand and ensure its long-term sustainability. Here are some key measures to protect the brand:

• Crisis management plan: This plan should include clear protocols, designated crisis management teams, and predefined communication strategies to minimise the impact on the brand. An example would be Johnson & Johnson’s response during the Tylenol poisoning incident in 1982, where they swiftly recalled and reintroduced
  the product, demonstrating their commitment to consumer safety.
• Proactive communication: Maintain open and transparent communication with stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the media to build trust and credibility. An example is Patagonia’s consistent communication on environmental sustainability and their initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, which aligns with their brand values and resonates with their target audience.
• Strong corporate culture: Foster a culture that emphasises ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability. This builds a foundation of trust among employees, which translates into consistent brand representation and reduced risk of internal issues impacting the brand⁶. The most popular example is Google’s corporate culture, highlighted by their mission statement, “to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”. This culture has helped them maintain a positive image and attract top talent.
• Customer experience management: Prioritise customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering exceptional customer experiences. Focus on delivering quality products and services, personalised interactions, and prompt resolution of customer issues to protect the brand’s reputation. A widely known example is that of Apple’s emphasis on user experience through innovative design, ease of use, and excellent customer service, which has contributed to their brand resilience, resulting in a loyal customer base.
• Social media monitoring: Actively monitor social media platforms and online channels to identify and address any negative sentiment or misinformation promptly. Engage with customers, respond to their feedback, and address their concerns to maintain a positive brand perception. For example, Starbucks’ effective social media presence allows them to quickly respond to customer complaints or negative comments, demonstrating their commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Diversified brand portfolio: Diversify the brand portfolio to mitigate risks associated with depending heavily on one product or service. This helps protect the overall brand reputation, even if one component faces challenges. An example is Unilever’s diverse brand portfolio, including Dove, Ben & Jerry’s, and Lipton, which allows them to weather market fluctuations and maintain a strong brand image across different consumer segments.

Conclusion

Yes, an organisation can prepare for adversity and become more resilient; it can be re-engineered to develop a culture of resilience. Here is a summary of some strategies and steps that should be taken:

Line management plays a crucial role in operational corporate resilience. They are responsible for implementing and enforcing resilience measures within their respective departments.

• Create an environment where values are shared and aligned with the objectives of the corporation.⁷
• Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that the organisation may face. This can include natural disasters, economic downturns, cybersecurity threats, or supply chain disruptions.
• Create a detailed plan that outlines how the organisation will respond to and recover from adversity.
• Ensure that the organisation has diverse revenue streams, a skilled workforce, and a flexible supply chain.
• Establish partnerships and collaborations with other organisations, government agencies, and community stakeholders that will provide support and resources during times of adversity.
• Test and update the plan regularly, engage in exercises and drills to test the effectiveness of the contingency plan. Identify weaknesses and areas for improvement and update the plan accordingly.
• Learn from past experiences and analyse previous instances of adversity and learn from them.
• Lastly, foster a culture of resilience by nourishing a proactive and resilient mindset among employees. Encourage innovation, adaptability, and continuous learning.

By taking these steps, an organisation can enhance its preparedness and develop the ability to withstand and recover from adversity, ultimately becoming more resilient.

About the Authors

Dr Simon L. Dolan is full professor and researcher at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comillas, Duesto and Georgetown Universities). He is the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School. He has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referees’ journals. He is also the cofounder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). His work, consulting, and research is about values, leadership, coaching, stress management, and resilience, as well as issues connected to the future of work. He holds an MA and PhD from Carlson Graduate School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He was a former editor of cross-cultural management and member of the editorial board of half a dozen scientific journals. His full bio can be found at: www.simondolan.com

Dr Adnane Belout is an associate professor at the University of Montreal. In addition to his speciality in the management of human resources (PhD), he has developed expertise in the field of HR data analytics. Formerly, he specialised in the field of project management (MA). In addition, he is the Director General and founder of Le Groupe Canadien MDS, a consulting firm based in Montreal, which offers training services in French throughout the globe but with a focus on West Africa (www.groupemds.com).

Dr Jean-Luc Cerdin is a full professor of International Human Resource Management at ESSEC Business School, France. He researches, publishes, and consults in three primary areas: global mobility, human resource management in MNCs, and global career and talent management. He has contributed numerous articles to international top-tier professional and academic journals, such as the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of World Business, Human Relations and Human Resource Management. Additionally, he serves on several editorial boards for HRM and international business journals. He has been visiting professor in American Universities like Wharton and Rutgers, as well as leading business schools in Europe, such as ESADE in Barcelona, Spain.

Javier S. Casademunt is a consultant and the director of the Brazilian branch of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). He has served for many years as the director for Brazil, and academic collaborator of the Strategy and General Management Department at ESADE Business School. He is the founder and CEO of the Neuromentoring Institute of Florida. He is a visiting professor to several top business schools in Latin America, and an expert in the areas of leadership, mental health, resilience, and performance. He has more than 20 years of successful experience in managing, teaching, and consulting for companies, governments, and top leaders globally. His email address is javier@.javiercasademunt.com, and his website is www.javiercasademunt.com.

References

1. The authors are currently working on the development of an innovative tool designed to audit organisational resilience.

2. This section was inspired by the Deloitte report. The full report can be found at: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/strategy/characteristics-resilient-organizations.html

3. CXOs are high-level executives who focus on creating consistent, frictionless CXs that meet or exceed expectations across all customer touch points and at every stage of the customer journey – before, during, and after a sale is complete.

4. Much more on the effect of building trust can be found in: Dolan S.L. Brykman K. (2024) The Art and Science of Building Trust (forthcoming).

5. For more, read: Dolan S.L. (2023) De-Stress at Work. London. Routledge.

6. An example is the annual or biannual ethical assessment. The use of state-of-the-art audit tools is recommended. For instance: myDova.com

7. For more, see: Dolan S.L. (2020) The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values. London. Routledge.

The post Towards the Building of Organisational Resilience: Uncovering the Key Features appeared first on The European Business Review.

As the human need for constant happiness increases, it becomes commodified – as a goal to be achieved through external means – thereby perpetuating a culture of consumerism and materialism. This article analyses happiness as a culmination of living our truest values, allowing each individual to find their path to it.

The concept of happiness has become a buzzword in recent years, aiming to overcome all individuals’ misery, whether it is felt at home, at work, or in the community.  After all, who does not want to be happy or to become happy? Happiness as a concept can be compared to the brightness and warmth of the sun. Do you know anyone who expresses negative feelings or attitudes against the sun?  Happiness is often oversimplified as a state of being that is universally desirable and easily attainable. The comparison of happiness to the sun, with its connotations of brightness and warmth, serves to perpetuate this complex concept.

While it is commonly believed that happiness is a panacea, a closer examination reveals this notion to be oversimplified and potentially dangerous. Happiness, often portrayed as the ultimate goal and solution to all of life’s problems, is mistakenly equated with an absence of suffering or difficulty. This idealisation of happiness as a cure-all ignores the complexities of human emotions and experiences.

The pursuit of happiness as a cure-all can lead to unrealistic expectations and a constant striving for an unattainable state of being. The pressure to always maintain a facade of happiness can be detrimental to mental health, as it discourages individuals from acknowledging and processing negative emotions. This can result in a suppression of authentic feelings and a disconnection from one’s true self.

Furthermore, the belief that happiness is a magic bullet can perpetuate a culture of toxic positivity, where individuals are expected to always remain upbeat and optimistic, regardless of their circumstances. This can invalidate the very real struggles and challenges that people face, making it difficult for them to seek support or address underlying issues.

Additionally, the pursuit of happiness as a panacea can overlook the importance of a range of emotions in personal growth and resilience.¹ It is through facing and overcoming adversity, and experiencing sadness and pain, that individuals can develop strength, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for life’s complexities. By only valuing happiness, we limit our capacity for emotional growth and self-understanding.

The concept of happiness has undeniably become a lucrative industry for consultants, self-help gurus, and lifestyle brands seeking to capitalise on society’s perpetual pursuit of contentment. The commodification of happiness has transformed what was once a deeply personal and subjective emotion into a marketable product, packaged and sold to the masses under the guise of self-improvement and fulfilment.² 

Consultants peddle their services, promising to unlock the secrets to lasting happiness, offering workshops, seminars, and coaching sessions that often come with a hefty price tag. These individuals position themselves as experts in the field of happiness, claiming to possess the knowledge and techniques necessary to guide others towards a more fulfilling life. However, the very act of monetising happiness undermines its intrinsic value, reducing it to a mere commodity that can be bought and sold like any other product.

Moreover, the relentless promotion of happiness as a goal to be achieved through external means perpetuates a culture of consumerism and materialism, suggesting that true contentment can be attained through the acquisition of material possessions or the pursuit of superficial pleasures. This narrow and superficial interpretation of happiness fails to acknowledge the complexities of human emotions and experiences, reducing a deeply personal and nuanced sentiment to a one-size-fits-all formula for success.

The industry of happiness consultants thrives on the insecurities and vulnerabilities of individuals who are constantly bombarded with messages that suggest they are not good enough or happy enough. By perpetuating the myth that happiness can be bought and sold, consultants exploit the very real and valid struggles that people face in their daily lives, offering false promises of a quick, fixed solution to all their problems.

In other words, the commodification of happiness by consultants and self-help gurus represents a troubling trend that devalues the true essence of happiness as a deeply personal and subjective emotion. Rather than seeking external validation or quick fixes, individuals should prioritise self-reflection, introspection, and genuine human connection as the keys to true contentment and fulfilment. Happiness cannot be bought or sold – it is a state of being that must be cultivated from within, free from the constraints of consumerism and commercialisation.

While happiness is undoubtedly important for overall well-being, it is not a panacea.³ Embracing a full range of emotions, including sadness, anger, and frustration, is essential for a truly fulfilling and authentic life. By acknowledging and accepting the complexities of human experience, we can cultivate a more balanced and resilient approach to navigating the ups and downs of life.

To enhance the professional selling of happiness, it should never be sold as a heal-all, and the concept should be accompanied with three complementary pillars:

• Clearly defining the concept so that everyone can understand, and prevent false expectations.
• Clearly develop a valid and reliable methodology of how to apply the concept to individuals, teams, or nations.
• And clearly refine a metric and tools to measure happiness. A concept without a valid scientific metric is not useful.

Happiness approached from the angle of values

When we embarked on the voyage into the world of values, we faced the same dilemma.   We knew that values represent the DNA of our behaviour; that shared values represent the norm and the culture of a unit, a community, or a larger society; and that the universe of values includes thousands of them, and they all seem to be important to some people. We also took extra care to ensure those values did not become another fashion or a panacea. Therefore, we have dedicated over 40 years to research in studying values, and have eventually developed the three pillars that convert it into what we call “Values in Action”: A concept, a methodology, and a tool(s). 

All that is easier to say than do.  So let´s reduce this complexity to something simple and doable. Our experience suggests that getting to really understand your core values can get you on the road to experiencing more moments of happiness in your life. We call this philosophy: “Values in Action”.

Values are intricately connected to moments of happiness, forming the very core of an individual’s sense of fulfilment and contentment. This relationship between values and happiness is a nuanced and complex one, requiring a deep understanding of the interplay between personal beliefs, societal norms, and individual experiences.

At the heart of this connection lies the idea that values act as guiding principles that shape our thoughts, actions, and decisions. They serve as a moral, economic, and emotional compass, directing us towards what we believe to be important in life. When our actions align with our values, we experience a sense of authenticity and integrity that brings about a profound sense of satisfaction and joy.

Furthermore, moments of happiness are often closely tied to the fulfilment of our values. When we can live by what we hold dear, whether it be honesty, compassion, or achievement, we are more likely to experience a deep sense of contentment and well-being. This alignment between values and actions creates a sense of harmony and purpose that is essential for sustained happiness.

However, the relationship between values and happiness is not always straightforward. In a society that often places emphasis on external markers of success and happiness, individuals may struggle to stay true to their values in the face of societal pressures. This can lead to a sense of inner conflict and dissatisfaction as individuals grapple with the tension between societal expectations and their own deeply held beliefs.

Ultimately, the connection between values and happiness is a deeply personal and individualised one. It requires self-reflection, introspection, and a willingness to prioritise what truly matters to us as individuals. By cultivating a strong sense of self-awareness and staying true to our values, we can create a life that is rich in meaning and fulfilment, leading to moments of true and perhaps happiness.

Over the years, we have researched, tested, and developed methodologies and tools that can help everybody understand his/her core values and examine if they really live up to them in their daily life (work, family, leisure). In addition, we have developed sophisticated training content and corresponding methodologies and tools (both manual and digital tools) that help people get there. Our three-dimensional model has been labelled Dolan 3Es Triaxial Model of Values and is depicted in Exhibit 2.

The misguided notion that the values axis is synonymous with dimensions is a flawed interpretation that undermines the complexity and nuance of the universe of core values. Our research shows that a reductionist perspective oversimplifies the intricate interplay of values and fails to acknowledge the inherent subjectivity and contextuality of core values that, for real decision-making (i.e. action), are limited and placed in a hierarchy. Here is a metaphor we often use to explain how people develop an algorithm for their values selection.  Imagine you are hungry and enter a restaurant that offers a rich, free, buffet-style menu. Although you are hungry, you know you cannot eat everything. Thus, you pick and choose based on your criteria (for example, a combination of products that you consider healthy for you but will satisfy your taste and satisfy your level of hunger). The same applies to the world of values. We do not act based on all the values in the universe but rather pick and choose selected core values, place them in a relative hierarchy (to minimise conflicts between them) and ensure these are aligned with your definition of success. Our research shows that when this process occurs, people have a period of contentment, making them happier and more productive.

Although living your core values is often touted as a pathway to happiness, this is by no means a magic solution, but the idea that adhering to one’s core values will invariably lead to a fulfilling and contented life. We know that living by one’s core values may indeed contribute to a sense of purpose and integrity; it is also an important path to what we understand is happiness. Human existence is marked by nuance, ambiguity, and contradiction, and the pursuit of happiness is a dynamic and ongoing process that cannot be reduced to a set of static principles.  Thus, we prefer to talk about moments (or periods of happiness) that can be achieved in living our core values. While we realise that the latter needs to be tuned up from time to time, we also acknowledge that the concept of happiness requires a holistic and nuanced approach that considers the complexity of human nature and the multitude of factors that shape our well-being.

The good news is that we have developed the methodology and tools that help people discover (or identify) their core values, measure them, place them in a hierarchy and ensure, through a coaching approach, that they live their values. We have been training coaches to help people understand what is really important to them and how to ensure alignment with their goals (Coaching by Values)⁴; we have been training managers to understand their managing philosophy and be more effective in developing shared values (which is our definition of culture) that are aligned with the corporate objectives (Managing by Values)⁵; and, we help leaders positively impact their followers in leading them into Tomorrowland (Leadership by Values)⁶.

Conclusion

While happiness is often portrayed as the ultimate goal in life, it is important to recognise that it is not a cure-all solution to the complexities and challenges we face. Pursuing happiness as a panacea can lead to overlooking the importance of experiencing a full range of emotions and addressing underlying issues that contribute to our overall well-being.

Living our core values, by contrast, is essential for achieving true happiness in life, as it allows us to remain authentic and aligned with our beliefs and principles, leading to a sense of fulfilment and contentment that cannot be achieved through superficial pursuits or fleeting pleasures. Only by staying true to ourselves and upholding our core values can we find lasting joy and inner peace in a world filled with distractions and temptations that seek to divert us from our true path. So, let us hold steadfast to our values and let them guide us towards a more meaningful and happier existence.

About the Author

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a professor at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the Pontifical University of Comillas. He is also a member of the Talent and Organizational Leadership research team at Deusto University. He was a former professor at ESADE, the University of Montreal, McGill University, Boston University, and others. He has published over 85 books, including academic textbooks published by global companies such as Pearson, McGraw-Hill, Thomson, and others, as well as digital books at MyEducator. He is the co-founder and president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). He is the recipient of the 2024 “Doctorate Honoris Causa” (University of Huelva -Spain) and the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM) Award for Excellence in Societally Relevant Management Scholarship. For a detailed CV, visit: (www.simondolan.com).

References

1. Simon L. Dolan, Javier de Pablo (2023): Los Secretos de la Resiliencia (Profit Editorial)
2. See: Wiliam Davies (2019) The Happiness Industry: How Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
3. Only a few and numbered scholars approach happiness from a scientific and serious angle. One of these is Prof. Tal Ben-Shahar from Harvard University. see: The Science of Happiness https://www.happinessstudies.academy/
4. L. Dolan (2011) Coaching by Values: How to succeed in the life of business and the business of life. iUniverse.
5. Simon L. Dolan, Salvador Garcia, and Bonnie Richley (2006) Managing by Values: a corporate guide to living, being alive and making a living in the 21^st century (Palgrave MacMillan).
6. Simon L. Dolan (2020) The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values: How to ensure alignment and proper realignment (Routledge).

The post The Concept of Enduring Happiness as a Panacea to Work/Life Goals appeared first on The European Business Review.

Every leader needs to inspire trust in their followers, employees, and stakeholders. Trust is one concept that binds all efforts at relationship-building together, leading to business success. In this article, three experts in business management discuss how leaders can build trust.

Introduction

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, whether it be personal or professional. Building trust requires effort and time, but the benefits of a trustworthy relationship are immeasurable. Trust can lead to increased communication, better collaboration, and a stronger sense of community. In this article, we will explore the strategies and techniques available to leaders that can be used to establish trust in their relationships.

Trust is an essential concept in many of the articles, books, and research focus of the coauthors of this article. Dolan (2011 and 2020), for example, refers to TRUST as the “Super-Value”, the “Value of Values” or the “Mother of all Values”.¹ Garti and Tzafrir (2022), in a recent book, suggests trust to be a powerful concept for synchronising work-family relationships.² As researchers, consultants, and change agents, we argue that a leader who wishes to be effective in his/her role needs to embed the triple anchors in his/her toolbox: 1) A clear definition of what trust means (and what trust is not), 2) a clear methodology to assess trust, and 3) evidence-based tool (or tools) to assess the genuine level of trust that he/she experiences. We therefore believe that the time is ripe to explore these three components, which we have been researching for over 20 years. This is needed because managers, leaders, and employees across organisations frequently use the term trust, even though it is not very well understood, and neither is it clear as to how to build it and what measures/tools are available to enhance it.

Enhancing trust in organisations is a complex and challenging process that requires a well-planned methodology and effective tools to achieve success. Trust is the foundation of any healthy and productive relationship. Without trust, employees can feel disengaged and unmotivated—resulting in a decline in productivity or quitting the organisation. It may also lead to overall poor organisational performance.

However, enhancing trust within an organisation is not an easy task. It requires a significant investment of time and effort, along with the right “know-how”. Leaders must not only be committed to creating a culture of trust and be willing to make difficult decisions to achieve this goal, but also have a firm understanding of how to do so and what works against trust. Additionally, trust takes time to build, and it can be easily lost if not nurtured and maintained.

The objective of this paper is threefold: (1) to shed light on what trust means in organisational contexts (2) to describe a 360^o methodology to assess the leaders´ trust (ranging from self-trust, subordinates´ trust in the leader, and colleagues´ trust in the leader), and (3) to describe the latest applications of the TRUST-ME tool that can be used as a gamification tool and online assessment.

So, what exactly is TRUST?

Trust is about having confidence in someone or something. Trust is about believing that they will do what they say they will do, it is the ability to reduce uncertainty as a result of a shared positive history, and that they have your best interests at heart.³  However, trust can mean different things to different people. For some, it may be about reliability and consistency. For others, it may be about honesty and transparency. And for others still, it may be about a sense of connection and understanding. One clear thing, though, is that trust is vital to any relationship, whether it is personal or professional. Without trust, it is difficult to build strong, lasting connections with others and hard to feel secure and confident in your interactions with them.

Some regard or consider trust as a concept with two components: trustfulness and trustworthiness. This approach combines the attitude of one actor with the characteristics of another. A host of scholars stress the importance of being trustful. In the idealistic tradition, faith and social education nurturing positive expectations are the keys to trust and cooperation. However, trustworthiness can play a major role in this attitude. Overly optimistic or deceitful promises will fool and disappoint the trustful actor, making him/her distrustful, while the experience of trustworthy partners will enhance further cooperation. Hence, the degree of trustworthiness is the central factor for whether trust increases or decreases.⁴ 

Mind you, trustfulness refers to the willingness to trust others and to believe in their intentions and actions without questioning them. It is a positive trait that allows individuals to build strong relationships and foster collaboration. Trustfulness is often associated with openness and vulnerability, as it requires individuals to let their guard down and rely on others. On the other hand, trustworthiness refers to the ability to be trusted, and to act in a reliable and honest way that inspires confidence in others. It is a character trait that is built over time through consistent behaviour and actions. Trustworthiness is often associated with integrity and responsibility, as it requires individuals to be accountable for their actions and to follow through on their commitments. It also involves compassion and benevolence, as one needs to believe that others will act with kindness and with their best interest in mind.

While trustfulness and trustworthiness are both important, they are not interchangeable. Trustfulness can be a positive quality, but it can also be risky if it is not accompanied by discernment and caution. Blindly trusting others, unconditional trust, can lead to disappointment and even harm if the other person proves to be untrustworthy. On the other hand, trustworthiness is a foundational quality that underpins all healthy relationships. Without trustworthiness, trust cannot be built or maintained. Trustworthiness requires individuals to be honest, reliable, and consistent in their behaviour, even when it is difficult or inconvenient.

All in all, research shows that leaders who display trust, create a positive culture which makes a huge difference in terms of the commitment and productivity of members of the organisation (See Exhibit 1).

The Spiritual Dimension of Trust

Is there such a thing as spiritual trust?  The answer is yes. Among the types of trust, it focuses on faith and religious doctrine. People with this type of trust believe in the spiritual energy that surrounds human beings. It is a very subjective trust that depends on the context and culture.  

The phrase “In God We Trust” is a well-known and significant motto in the United States. It is printed on its currency, displayed in government buildings, and has been a part of the US national identity for over 150 years. Despite its origins in wartime and Cold War politics, the motto has endured as a symbol of American values and identity. Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, the phrase “In God We Trust” remains an important part of the US national heritage. It represents its history, values, and commitment to a higher power. And it serves as a reminder that, even in times of hardship and division, one can find strength and unity in one’s faith. Moreover, the phrase is a testament to the importance of faith and spirituality in American life. It acknowledges that religion and spirituality are not just personal beliefs, but also a fundamental part of the nation’s heritage and culture. It is a call to embrace one’s faith and to seek guidance from a higher power in times of need.

The biological and neuroscience base of Trust

We are born to trust — to engage with others and rely on them for survival. This innate human condition served critical evolutionarily purposes in early hunter-gatherer societies that depended on collaboration and concern with non-familial members.

The neuroscience base of trust is a fascinating topic that explores the intricacies of the human brain and its ability to build and maintain trust. The neuroscience of trust is based on the understanding of the brain’s reward system, which is responsible for regulating our emotions and behaviours. Studies have shown that when we trust someone, our brains release oxytocin, a hormone that is associated with social bonding and attachment. This chemical reaction creates a sense of warmth, closeness, and intimacy, which reinforces the bond of trust between individuals.

Furthermore, the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain responsible for decision-making and social behaviour, is also involved in the process of building trust. This area of the brain is responsible for evaluating social cues and determining whether someone is trustworthy. When we encounter someone who displays trustworthy behaviour, the prefrontal cortex sends signals to the reward system, which reinforces the bond of trust.

However, the neuroscience base of trust is not limited to the reward system and prefrontal cortex. Other regions of the brain, such as the amygdala, play a crucial role in the process of building and maintaining trust. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, which can have a significant impact on our ability to trust others. When we encounter a potential threat, the amygdala sends signals to the prefrontal cortex, which evaluates the situation and determines whether it is safe to trust the other person.

In conclusion, the neuroscience base of trust is a complex and multifaceted topic that involves a combination of cognitive, emotional, and social processes. It highlights the importance of social bonding and attachment in human relationships and provides insight into the mechanisms that underlie trust. By understanding the neuroscience of trust, we can develop a greater appreciation for the power of trust in our lives and work towards building stronger, more meaningful relationships with others.⁵

The costs and consequences of mistrust in an organisation’s leader

Today, mistrust has become a pervasive issue that has far-reaching consequences. In organisations, mistrust can create an environment of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. The costs of mistrust are significant, as it can lead to a breakdown in communication, a lack of collaboration, and ultimately, a loss of productivity.

In the workplace, mistrust can be equally damaging. It can create a toxic environment where employees feel suspicious of one another, and where collaboration is difficult to achieve. Mistrust can lead to a lack of innovation and creativity, as employees are hesitant to share their ideas and opinions for fear of being judged or criticised. It is difficult to recover from mistrust, as research shows that it takes approximately six trust-building actions to compensate for one act that breached trust.⁶

Mistrust in the workplace can have serious consequences for both employees and the organisation. Firstly, mistrust can lead to a toxic work environment. When employees don’t trust their leader, it creates a culture of suspicion and paranoia. This leads employees to feel isolated and unsupported, which can have a negative impact on their mental health and well-being. A toxic leader can also lead to high turnover rates, as employees may feel compelled to escape the negative atmosphere.

Secondly, mistrust in the leadership of an organisation can decrease productivity. When employees don’t trust each other, they do not collaborate or communicate effectively leading to avoidable mistakes. When employees don’t feel comfortable working with their leaders, they may also be less likely to ask for help, which can further decrease productivity.

Thirdly, when employees lack trust in their leader, they feel unsupported and undervalued. This leads to a lack of motivation and enthusiasm for their work, which ultimately impacts their performance. When employees are unhappy in their jobs, it can also lead to increased absenteeism and presenteeism, which can further impact the organisation’s bottom line.

The paradox of employing “inward-trust¨ but “outward- zero trust”

So far, we have argued that trust is a valuable commodity. It is especially important to nourish it within the people that work in the same team or organisation.  We call it “inward trust”. But, with the rise of cyber-attacks and political turmoil, it is becoming increasingly difficult to rely on others. That’s where the concept of “Zero Trust” comes in. This approach to security is gaining popularity in both international politics and the digital security sector. The idea behind Zero Trust is simple: trust no one. This means that every user, device, and application must be verified and authenticated before being granted access to a network or system. It also means that access is granted on a need-to-know basis, rather than blanket permission.

While the concept of Zero Trust may seem extreme, it is becoming necessary in today’s world. Cyber-attacks and political turmoil are on the rise, and trust is becoming harder to come by. Zero Trust provides a solution to these problems by ensuring that every user, device, and application is verified and authenticated before being granted access. This is a small price to pay for the security of sensitive information and the protection of our democracy.

Leadership and Trust: The usefulness of the TRUST-ME scale and tools

When it comes to measuring trust, it is important to consider the various factors that contribute to its formation. To measure trust, various concepts and scales have been developed. These include the Trust Scale, the Trust in Organisations Scale, and the Interpersonal Trust Scale, among others. These scales are designed to assess different aspects of trust, such as trust in specific individuals, trust in organisations, and trust in oneself.

Many of the conflicts in organisations arise because leaders cannot generate and/or sustain trust. How can a leader have followers if they do not trust him/her? Unfortunately, research suggests that in more and more companies (families included if we use it as a metaphor for an organisation), it seems that people have lost trust in their leaders and their peers. We note this lack of trust in businesses, government agencies, education, and even in our churches (you only must listen to the scandals that are published on the corrupt behaviour of some priests). This general distrust in our leaders points to a cultural breakdown. The problem is not a lack of leaders but a lack of a climate of trust where leadership is possible.

Unless followers feel confident in the fairness and reliability of their leaders, they will not continue following them. Trust can significantly alter individual and organisational effectiveness. Trust, more than power and hierarchy, is what makes an organisation work effectively.

So, if we know that trust is a prerequisite for any attempt by the leader to change the organisational culture and to sustain the reliability, motivation, and behaviour of the followers, why don’t we help leaders to improve trust? In our opinion, people use the word trust too often in making a generic reference and therefore until we have a clear metric to measure it, we will continue to operate without a compass. The consequence is simple: the more a leader uses the word trust (without precision), the more the followers and companions will lose interest in listening to him/her and it will naturally lead to disappointment in our leaders.

For this reason, at the beginning of the 2000s, we began to study trust in work settings, in a rigorous and systematic way. In 2004, we published for the first time an article where we identified the three key dimensions of the concept of trust (acronym RCH), as we refined the tools to measure it. The three dimensions that emerged from the numerous scientific studies were:

Reliability, Concern, and Harmony (See Exhibit 2).

Trust assessment: A demonstration of tools that are based on (a) gamification  (b)  digital online

Entrusting my leader assessment and calculating the trust scores in each dimension is provided in Exhibit 3.

Interpreting the results

Calculate your total score by adding the following items.

• Please retake the scores obtained before and place them respectively for each dimension in column 2.
  
• Take your score and divide it by 7 and then multiply each by 2, then place each of them in Column 3 respectively. This will generate a final score on a scale ranging from 1-10 to be used in the Template.

Now, mark your final score on each of the corresponding dimensions in the three-dimensional ENTRUST template. Once marked, connect the dots with a straight line. Please shade the area. This is your perceived TRUST zone with the person that you are assessing. 

The Trust Kit⁹

The Trust Kit was developed to perform the same exercise as in Exhibit 3 but in a fun and interactive fashion. Research shows that this gamification approach tends to yield more effective results than simple explanations of principles by tapping into psychological and motivational aspects of human behaviour. The Trust Kit contains 21 cards (in alignment with the 21 questions), each of which corresponds with a dimension of the RCH model, with a distinct colour background. Seven cards are Red (representing Reliability), 7 Cards are Green (representing Concern), and 7 cards are Blue (representing Harmony). Players select cards in accordance with the person being assessed (boss, manager, or leader) and place it on the mate (Exhibit 4).

When you compare the two assessments, and can also see the gap visually, you get an idea of what needs to be worked on to improve the level of trust between a leader and a subordinate. You can add more assessment in the 360^o patterns, to identify more gaps (with a team, with peers, etc.,) thereby improving the diagnosis. This will be a cumbersome process, and this is the reason for the development of the digital tool that is described in the next section.

A digital online tool to assess trust in the organisation

The Digital Trust Assessment has been developed as part of a programme and philosophy called “Leadership by Values®”. This programme provides stakeholders with the ability to evaluate their leaders in three areas: 1) assess their core values and measure how well they fit with the organisation’s culture, 2) assess their competencies and leadership skills for future success (9 skills total), and 3) assess their overall state of trust. The programme, which incorporates some features of Artificial Intelligence, assesses each of these leadership skills in a 360-degree degree, and uses information on:

• Leader’s self-assessment of the level of trust they generate. (RCH model)
• Subordinates (one or many) aggregate assessment of the leader’s level of trust (RCH Model).
• Aggregate assessment of leaders’ “peers” (RCH Model), and
• Aggregate assessment of the leader’s superior(s) (RCH Model)
• At the end of this process, an elaborate automatic (AI-based) report is generated which indicates (a) the diagnosis, (b) the gaps, and (c) the areas for improvement to enhance this important phenomenon of building mutual trust.

A futuristic note and prediction about the role of trust

In a futuristic vision, the importance of trust in our lives will be more crucial than ever before. As we progress into an era of advanced technology and interconnectedness, trust will shape the very fabric of our society, economy, and personal relationships.

One aspect where trust will play a significant role is in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. As machines become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, trust will be essential for us to embrace and fully benefit from these advancements. We will need to trust that AI systems are reliable, secure, and make ethical decisions. Trust will enable us to delegate tasks to machines without fear of them malfunctioning or causing harm.

In economic terms, trust will be the foundation of a thriving digital marketplace. With the rise of decentralised technologies like blockchain, trust will be inherent in every transaction. People will have the confidence to engage in online commerce, knowing that their personal and financial information is secure. This trust will foster global trade and enable individuals from different corners of the world to interact and engage in mutually beneficial exchanges.

Moreover, in a future where virtual reality and augmented reality become more prevalent, trust will be vital to foster meaningful connections. As we immerse ourselves in digital realms, we will rely on trust to distinguish between genuine interactions and deceptive simulations. Trust will be the bridge that allows us to form deep and authentic relationships, whether they are virtual or physical.

Furthermore, trust will be the backbone of governance and societal systems. In a world where data is the new currency, individuals will need to trust that their personal information is handled responsibly and transparently by governments and corporations. Trust will be crucial to maintain social harmony and ensure that power is not abused.

Ultimately, in this futuristic vision, trust will be the currency that fuels progress and enables us to navigate the complexities of an interconnected world. It will determine our ability to embrace technological advancements, participate in the digital economy, form meaningful connections, and maintain a just and equitable society.

In short, trust will be the cornerstone of our lives in the future. Its importance will extend beyond personal relationships, permeating every aspect of our existence. As we navigate a world shaped by advanced technology, trust will be the glue that holds our society together and allows us to fully embrace the opportunities and challenges of the future.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the concept of trust in all its complexities. We wish to reiterate that trust is one of the most widely used constructs around the world, but it is poorly understood, defined, and measured.

We were trained to think that if any concept is missing these qualities (definition, methodology on how to use it, and metrics) it is useless. An attempt was therefore made to define trust, to look at its dimensions, and to show clearly how it can be applied. We have decided to adopt the RCH three-dimensional Trust model because it was based on empirical research and seems to be used by thousands of researchers around the world.

In the article, we introduced the essence of the RCH model and explored its potential use wherever leadership is called for: at home, at work and in the community. And finally, we introduced three tools for measuring trust, which can all be used in different contexts, and, if necessary, in 360⁰. This allows you to measure your leader’s trust either manually, or via the use of a gamification tool or digitally. Gaps between the leader and other stakeholders can be easily detected, displayed, and discussed resulting in the preparation of strategic solutions to enhance trust, which in the end, is a win-win outcome.

About the Authors

Simon L. Dolan is a full professor and senior researcher of HRM and Work Psychology at Advantere School of Management (affiliated with Comillas, Duesto and Georgetown Universities). A former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School, he has published 85 books (in multiple languages) and over 150 articles in referees’ journals. He is also the co-founder and President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. His work, consulting and research are about values, leadership, coaching, stress management and resilience as well as issues connected to the future of work. He is a member of the editorial board of half a dozen scientific journals. His full bio at: www.simondolan.com

Kyle Brykman is an Assistant Professor of Management and the VPRI Early Career Research Chair in Leadership at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor. Kyle’s mission is to help people lead happier, healthier, and more productive lives, which he accomplishes through high-quality research, evidence-based teaching, and engaging training and coaching. Kyle’s research focuses on employee voice and interpersonal team dynamics. He holds a PhD in Management (Organizational Behavior) from Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, an MSc in Management from Wilfrid Laurier University, and an HBA from Ivey School of Business.

Shay S. Tzafrir is the dean of teaching and professor at the School of Business Administration, University of Haifa. A former director of the Center for the Study of Organizations & Human Resource Management, he received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. in behavioural science from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and earned a B.A and M.A. in political science, as well as LLB, all from the University of Haifa. He serves as a member of the Editorial Review Board in Human Resource Management. He specialises in issues of people management and trust, focusing on the efficiency aspects of human capital. His current research interests include the role trust plays in various organisational factors such as strategic human resource management, organisational performance, and service quality.

References

1. Dolan S.L. (2011). Coaching by Values. iUniverse; Dolan S.L. (2020). The Secrets of Coaching and Leading by Values. Routledge.
2. Garti, A., & Tzafrir, S. (2022). Work–Family Triangle Synchronization: Employee, Manager, and Spouse. De Gruyter.
3. See: Tzafrir, S. S., & Dolan, S. L. (2004). Trust Me: A Scale for Measuring Manager-Employee Trust. Management Research: Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management, 2(2), 115-132.
4. See: Tullberg J., (2008) Trust—The Importance of Trustfulness versus Trustworthiness, The Journal of Socio-Economics, Vol 37(5): 2059-2071
5. In January-February 2017, Harvard Business Review published an amazing article by Paul J. Zak who covers with great details the neuroscience of trust. Highly recommended reading.
6. Baumeister, R., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenaur, C., & Vohs, K. (2001). Bad Is Stronger Than Good. Review of General Psychology 323–370.
7. This model was published for the first time in 2004 but was studied in other contexts many times by Tzafrir and Dolan and many other collaborators. It was tested in many cultures and sectors. Recently; ResearchGate has advised the authors that over 9000 researchers have downloaded and/or used this model in their own research; it seems that of all alternative models of trust, this one has become the most popular and most cited. To read more:  Tzafrir S., Dolan S.L. (2004) Trust me: A Scale for Measuring Manager‐Employee Trust, Management Research: Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management, Vol. 2(2):115–132, https://do i.org/10.1 108/1 53654 30480 00050 5; Dolan S.L., Tzafrir S., Baruch Y. (2005) Testing the Causal Relationships between Procedural Justice, Trust, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Revue de gestion de ressources humanies, Vol. 57:79–89; Mach M., Dolan S.L., Tzafrir S. (2010)The Differential Effect of Team Members’ Trust on Team Performance: The Mediation Role of Team Cohesion, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 83(3):771–794 (https://d oi.or g/10. 1348/09631 7909X 47390 3); Chaluz H., Tzafrir S., Dolan S.L. (2015). Actionable Trust in Service Organisations: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective, Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 31(1):31–39; Capell B., Tzafrir S., Enosh G., Dolan S.L. (2018) Explaining Sexual Minorities’ Disclosure: The Role of Trust Embedded in Organizational Practices, Organization Studies, Vol. 39(7):947–973 https://journal s.sag epub. com/d oi /fu ll/10 .1177 /0170 84061 77080 00.
8. Tzafrir and Dolan 2004. Op. Cit.
9. More information on the Trust Kit is available at: learningaboutvalues.com

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Introduction

“Resilience” seems to be a common term used by professionals in many disciplines. Psychologists and medical experts talk about personal resilience, and corporate analysts, coaches and consultants talk about corporate resilience. After all, not only people but also their corporations need to overcome the state of dystopia¹, reaching that of “eutopia”. Dystopia, according to Wikipedia, stemming from the ancient Greek δυσ (dus, “bad”), and τόπος (tópos, “place”), and also called “cacotopia” or “anti-utopia”, refers to a society that is undesirable or frightening. It is often treated as an antonym of “utopia”, a term that was coined by Sir Thomas Moore and figures as the title of his best-known work, published in 1516, which created a blueprint for an ideal society with minimal crime, violence, and poverty. The relationship between utopia and dystopia is in actuality, not one simple opposition, as many utopian elements and components are found in dystopias as well, and vice versa… Dystopias are often characterised by fear or distress, tyrannical governments, environmental disaster, or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. Themes typical of a dystopian society include complete control over the people in the society through the usage of propaganda, heavy censoring of information or denial of free thought, worshipping an unattainable goal, the complete loss of individuality, and heavy enforcement of conformity. Despite certain overlaps, dystopian fiction is distinct from post-apocalyptic fiction, and an undesirable society is not necessarily dystopian. Dystopian societies appear in many fictional works and artistic representations, particularly in stories set in the future. Famous examples include George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953). Dystopian societies appear in many sub-genres of fiction and are often used to draw attention to society, environment, politics, economics, religion, psychology, ethics, science, or technology. Some authors use the term to refer to existing societies, many of which are, or have been, totalitarian states or societies in an advanced state of collapse. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, often make criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.

A utopia is a place whose existence is impossible (“u” = no, impossible, “topos” = place). Thomas Moore himself, the author of the word, spoke of “eutopia” or “possible good place” (“eu” = good, adequate, and “topos” = place) to designate a necessary and realisable state between utopia and dystopia. Homo sapiens needs to realise the evolutionary state of eutopia that the world undergoes where genuine human values are embedded — this is possible. Activating unconditional kindness in a dystopia of war is not a utopian oxymoron.

In the following paragraphs we share our reflections and suggestions on how to enhance personal and collective values, based on principles rooted in the field of health psychology aims at enhancing resilience. The paper is addressed to all people immersed in one of the many situations of wars and violence occurring today in our dystopian world, and especially to the agents and victims of the current ongoing wars in Israel and Ukraine, as well as tens of other armed conflicts around the world². The horror, cruelty, and emotional hardship of war is one of the most stressful and difficult situations for any human being to face, and the collective consequences for ethical, economic, and psychological health and well-being are just terrible.

In this paper, we build on the concept of eutopia and its underlying construct of kindness. We argue that it can serve as a base to build personal resilience especially in the dystopian context of war. Personal resilience refers to an individual’s ability to adapt and bounce back from difficult or challenging situations. It involves maintaining a positive mindset, managing stress and emotions effectively, and being able to cope with adversity. Personal resilience allows individuals to face and overcome obstacles, setbacks, and failures, and to continue moving forward in pursuit of their goals and well-being. It involves developing skills such as problem-solving, self-confidence, perseverance, and flexibility. Personal resilience is essential for maintaining mental and emotional well-being, as well as for achieving success and fulfillment in various aspects of life.

Resilience Approached From the Angle of Unconditional Kindness

While there are many suggestions and angles proposed by experts to enhance resilience, an emerging angle is that of unconditional kindness to self and others.
Unconditional kindness goes far beyond mere formal courtesy or good manners. We argue that unconditional kindness is the radical antidote to the poison of hostility, hatred, revenge, and violence; and its short-, medium-, and long-term effects are highly beneficial for eutopic systemic transformation. (Exhibit 1)

Unconditional kindness refers to taking care of, and being compassionate towards oneself and others under any circumstances; it is the desire to liberate oneself from suffering and free others from suffering, without any other expectations or conditions attached. It is a selfless and genuine expression of love and goodwill towards onself and others, motivated solely by the desire of being more content. Unconditional kindness does not seek recognition, reward, or reciprocation; it is given simply because it is the right thing to do for our personal and collective well-being.

The tree of unconditional kindness

Kindness should be unconditional, or it is not a genuine form of kindness. The metaphor of the tree of unconditional kindness embeds the respective values that are necessary in order to live, coexist, and die in peace. We wonder if there is anything else more important.

We know that the essential elements of a fruit tree are the root, the trunk, the branches, and its fruits. And for its growth, it also needs soil with sufficient nutrients, rainwater, and sunlight. A tree needs to be resilient, since it can be attacked by numerous pests that impede its growth. (Exhibit 2)

Honouring all the many ancestral traditions that refer to the “Tree of Life” as a tree of knowledge, we can use it in a metaphorical way for an initial approach to the eutopic phenomenon of the possible unconditional human kindness and all its associated values, representing our necessary personal and collective evolution as the species Homo sapiens.

Genuine kindness is pure, unconditional, active acts of love or compassion: It exists and manifests itself from the inside out as a gift or grace of our human nature that flows and empowers its own, and liberates us from our own and others’ suffering.
Obviously, controversy prevails as to whether the essential human nature is silent, peaceful, and kind or, by contrast, it is a wolf for man, noisy, aggressive, and unsympathetic. If Buddha, Machiavelli, Jesus Christ, Rousseau, and Hobbes were to converse on the subject, they would most likely disagree.

However, employing the analogy of the tree, they would probably conclude that, in any case, the human being has seeds of love and hate, and whether or not its best positive essence manifests itself depends on the form of relational values. For the best fruits to be produced, solid, healthy roots and sufficient nutrients, irrigation, and abundant light are required. Let’s elaborate a bit more on this.

The essential root

The essential root of unconditional kindness is grounded in our neurobiology as we evolve as human beings called Homo sapiens. It is from our inner core of serenity and loving goodness and compassion, firm yet subtle and delicate, that we can treat and care for ourselves as genuine human mammals.

As the great Tibetan master Chogyam Trungpa states, “At the core of every human being there is a tender and delicate point”³. His disciple, the Californian psychologist Stephen Gilligan, says that “it is an indestructible core”⁴. Indestructible means that it is unconditional in character, being especially associated with our inner firmness or solidity to treat ourselves and others well and to face suffering with kindness, whatever its origin, from our inner strength and freedom.

Therefore, we argue that all Homo sapiens have within our being the valuable and surprising gift of an inner space of serenity, kind love, generosity, and awareness of union and interdependence with all that exists that we can call our “Unconditional Tender Core”, highlighting the firm and solid character of this radical tenderness or gentleness, under any circumstance. It constitutes the root of kindness and unconditional good treatment with oneself, of others, and of the rest of nature.

The “only” thing to do to access this root or kind core is to intuit its existence and to free ourselves with benevolence from the armour of fears and adaptive defences that we have accumulated throughout life, contemplating and even using constructively the character with which we move in our different biographical spheres.

The “new” technologies available to us to care for this core root are meditative silence, conscious ownership of time, transformative conversation, understanding forgiveness, gratitude, and joy, which are shown in Exhibit 1. Notice that it has much to do with the sun, rain, and the core values or manifestations of the serene and loving root of the tree of unconditional kindness.

The trunk values of unconditional kindness:

From this radical connection with our peaceful, compassionate, and interdependent essence, the great values of empathy, humility, patience, generosity, care for self and others, understanding forgiveness, gratitude, and joy manifest and grow, constituting the trunk from which the three branches and the many fruits of unconditional kindness grow.

The three branches of expression:

The tree of unconditional kindness has three intertwined branches or expressive dimensions: towards oneself, towards others, and towards the rest of nature of which we are a part. In turn, kindness to those around us has many other possible bifurcations, from kindness in the couple to kindness in the health care system or in sports, to name a few.

Fruits of unconditional kindness:

Kindness has six types of essential fruits, all of them related to each other:

1. Biological: longevity and cardiovascular health.
2. Ethical: cooperation, equality, fraternity, brotherhood, fraternity, solidarity.
3. Emotional: non-aggressiveness, satisfaction, emotional well-being, warmth.
4. Relational: quality of bonding, mutual attraction, reciprocity, knowing how to accompany, knowing how to listen, knowing how to ask, knowing how to say no, conflict prevention, recognition, knowing how to have details, courtesy, smiling.
5. Existential-spiritual: knowing how to accept, being able to die in peace.
6. Business: attracting and releasing talent, commitment, work motivation and positive work environment, team development, and customer and supplier loyalty.

Soil and compost:

The base or nutrient substrate on which the loving roots of unconditional kindness grow is constituted by the other two essential meta-values: trust and coherence.
Trust, as we explain later, is a meta-value of our generative emotional intelligence, while coherence is the meta-value of our pragmatic value intelligence. Without trust no conversation or creativity is possible, and without coherence of action we remain in the colorful clouds. Without the essential nutrients or fertiliser of trust or belief in self and others and coherence or union between what is said and done, the tree can in no way thrive to its fullest splendour.

Rainwater:

The rainwater is necessary for the growth of unconditional kindness; it is the transformative conversation with oneself and others. Without it, the tree remains static and lifeless.

Sunlight:

Sunlight is represented by the experience of full presence, which consists of noticing (awareness) and being mindful (consciousness) of all that is happening here and now within us and in the world around us. Only from full presence can we connect with our indestructible tender core and be able to choose and cultivate with wisdom the values that allow us to act with unconditional kindness towards ourselves, towards those around us, and towards everything around us. Full presence is illuminated from silence and inner space and from the subjective ownership of time here and now. And it is associated with active compassion, mutual understanding and gratitude.

The neurobiological base of unconditional kindness and its’ relationship to resilience

The neurobiology of unconditional kindness involves several regions of the brain and neurotransmitters that contribute to the experience and expression of goodness and empathy.

One important brain region involved in kindness is the prefrontal cortex, particularly the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). The vmPFC is associated with empathetic responses and social cognition, while the dlPFC is involved in decision-making and self-regulation. These regions help us understand others’ emotions and make conscious choices to engage in kind behaviours.

Another crucial brain region is the striatum, which is part of the reward system. When we engage in acts of kindness or witness kindness, the striatum releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This dopamine release reinforces kind behaviour and motivates us to continue being kind.

The amygdala, an almond-shaped structure in the brain, also plays a role in kindness. The amygdala is involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression. Studies have shown that when individuals engage in acts of kindness, the amygdala’s response to negative stimuli decreases, suggesting that kindness can reduce negative emotions and promote positive feelings and prosocial behaviour.

Oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone”, is another key player in kindness. Oxytocin is released during social bonding and promotes feelings of warmth, trust, empathy, and generosity. It enhances social bonding and strengthens relationships, making acts of kindness more likely.

Finally, mirror neurons are important in understanding and imitating the actions and emotions of others. These neurons fire both when we perform an action and when we observe someone else performing the same action. Mirror neurons help us empathise with others and understand their experiences, facilitating kind and compassionate behaviour.

Overall, the neurobiology of unconditional kindness involves a complex interplay between brain regions, neurotransmitters, and social cognition processes. Understanding these mechanisms can help us appreciate the importance of kindness in promoting positive social interactions and well-being.

So, the conscious practice of unconditional kindness enhances resilience. Kindness is not only a virtue that contributes to positive relationships and overall well-being, but it also plays a significant role in enhancing resilience. When we practise kindness, we benefit not only others but also ourselves. Acts of kindness release hormones like oxytocin and serotonin, which promote feelings of happiness, contentment, and overall well-being. These positive emotions strengthen our mental and emotional resilience, making it easier for us to cope with stress and bounce back from setbacks.

Additionally, kindness fosters social connections and support networks. When we show kindness to others, we build strong relationships and create a sense of community. These connections provide a safety net during challenging times, as we can turn to others for support, encouragement, and assistance. Having a strong support system is crucial for resilience, as it helps us feel less alone and provides us with the resources and emotional support needed to navigate difficult situations.

Furthermore, acts of kindness can also inspire others to be kind, creating a ripple effect of positivity and resilience within a community. Witnessing or experiencing kindness can boost our own resilience by reminding us of the inherent goodness in people and the potential for positive change. It can also motivate us to pay it forward and engage in acts of kindness ourselves, further strengthening our resilience and the resilience of those around us.

The three circles model

The three circles model is a theory proposed by Paul Gilbert⁵, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby and founder of The Compassionate Mind Foundation. This model is central to Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and aims to understand the complexity of the brain’s systems and mechanisms for survival and growth. (Exhibit 3)

In summary, kindness enhances resilience by promoting positive emotions, fostering social connections, and inspiring others to be kind. By practising kindness, we not only improve our own well-being but also contribute to a more resilient and compassionate society.

Values, values intelligence, and enhancement of kindness-based resilience.

There are a host of values that can enhance kindness-based resilience in individuals and navigate through life’s ups and downs with adaptive intelligence.

The word “intelligence” comes from the Latin “legere”, containing the meanings of reading and choosing. Salvador Garcia (2018) has proposed the concept of “Values Intelligence”⁶. The concept can easily be added as another form of intelligence to the list of multiple intelligence proposed in the wonderful work of Howard Gardner.⁷

Coming from the state of full consciousness or mindfulness, is described as the wisdom to read the reality as it is and choose the values response or guides for action that seem to be most convenient for our full personal and collective development. Dolan (2020) also added that depending on the situations and the objectives of the person, the values need constant reflection of alignment and realignment⁸. Considering the so-called “Triaxial Model of Values” created by the two authors, these are the essential more intelligent values related to unconditional kindness:

Ethical Values 

• Empathic love – This meta-value of unconditional kindness involves being able to understand and share the feelings of others. It allows individuals to connect with and support others with caring love, which can help to build social support networks and enhance resilience.
  
• Gratitude – Gratitude wish is intimately related to the concept of unconditional kindness treated in this paper. Cultivating a sense of gratitude can help individuals to focus on the positive aspects of their lives, even in difficult times. It can help to shift their perspective and foster a sense of resilience.
  
• Solidarity – Coming from the Latin solidus, solidarity or the ability to help in overcoming vulnerability, strengthens the quality of human relationships arises from empathy and unconditional kindness and generosity, and increases the capacity to face the vicissitudes of life.
  
• Generosity – The word “generosity” comes from the Latin generosus, which means abundant and well engendered. Generosity is a quality of unconditional kindness necessary for the evolution “from ego to eco”, from self-interest to common good, as proposed by Otto Shramer.⁹
  
• Forgiveness – Forgiveness is a powerful resilience medicine to heal emotional wounds. It starts from the idea of benevolence or wanting the good of the other, without excusing or forgetting the bad action suffered, and without ceasing to desire compensation for the damage. As Daniel Lumera, the Italian promoter of the International Kindness Movement¹⁰, says: “What do we want–to assert our reasons or to be free?”

Pragmatical Values 

• Coherence and determination – Having a strong sense of purpose and self kindness helps individuals to persevere through challenges and setbacks. It is a meta-value of unconditional kindness to oneself, allowing one to stay focused on one’s goals and continue working towards them, even in the face of adversity, being conherent between what one thinks, feels, says and does.
• Adaptability – Being adaptable means being able to adjust and respond effectively to changing circumstances. It involves being openly kind to new ideas and approaches and being willing to learn and grow from experiences.
• Perseverance – Perseverance involves the ability to keep going and not give up, even when faced with obstacles or setbacks. It requires individuals to have a strong work and life ethic and a willingness to put in the effort required to achieve their goals in a kind or caring way with one self and others.

Emotional – Generative Values 

Emotional-generative values can be also called “poietic” for their quality of facilitating the self-emergence of new and beautiful possibilities for action.

• Trust and self-belief – Means having a strong sense of self-belief and self-confidence is a meta-value crucial for resilience. It allows individuals to trust in their own abilities and to have faith in their capacity to overcome challenges.
• Optimism – Being optimistic helps individuals to maintain a positive outlook, even in difficult circumstances. It allows them to see challenges as opportunities for growth and to believe in their ability to overcome obstacles.
• Patience – Coming from the possibility of being “in a peace mood”, patience is an emotional-generative value related to determination, adaptability and perserversance to achieve our medium- and long-term objectives
• Creativity – Creativity is an essential emotional-generative value to find new solutions to problems and to express with small but significant details the meta-value of unconditional kindness.
• Joy and celebration – The playful and conscious appreciation of everything we have accomplished and what we have learned. It is based upon gratitude and mindfulness, recognition of what has happened, seeing what we have done, and increasing our resilience about future events.

In other words, in this paper we propose to use the concept of “Unconditional kindness” as a meta-value that complements our previously proposed three axes deducted from the universe of values: the ethical, the pragmatic, and the emotional-generative (Triaxial Model of Values¹¹).

In addition to an overall meta-value of unconditional kindness, we also propose the practice of a respective sub-meta-value in each of the axes. For example, the sub-meta-value of ethical intelligence will be empathic love; the sub meta-value of the emotional-generative or “poietic” intelligence axis will be trust and self-belief, and the sub-meta-value of pragmatic intelligence will be coherence and determination. An illustration of these concepts is summarised in Exhibit 4.

Now, let’s examine these sub-meta-values of unconditional kindness in relationships to resilience. Let’s start with LOVE. Although some experts claim that love is more a type of need than a value, regardless of its exact definition and classification, it seems to play a vital role in the development of resilience. Exhibit 5 shows some ways in which the ethical values intelligence of EMPATHIC LOVE can contribute to resilience:

All in all, love plays a central role in enhancing resilience by providing emotional support, a sense of belonging, motivation, positive relationships, and self-compassion. It acts as a protective factor that enables individuals to cope with and overcome adversity more effectively.

Trust is another key concept in the development of resilience. Although Dolan et al. claim that TRUST by itself is the “Value of Values”, or the “mother of all values”, it can also be considered a sub-meta-value of the emotional-generative axis of the triaxial model¹².

Trust plays a crucial role in enhancing resilience in various aspects of life and it is especially important at times of dystrophy.

Overall, trust plays a fundamental role in enhancing resilience by promoting social support, collaboration, risk-taking, effective communication, and psychological well-being. Building and maintaining trust in relationships, communities, and organisations is crucial for fostering resilience in the face of adversity.

The last sub-meta-value of pragmatic intelligence referes to COHERENCE AND DETERMINATION. It refers to the state of being consistent, logical, and connected in one’s thoughts, actions, and behaviours. It implies that there is a clear and logical flow in the way someone communicates, makes decisions, and executes tasks. When someone demonstrates coherence in action, they can effectively align their intentions, words, and actions, creating a sense of harmony and integrity. This can lead to improved performance, better relationships, and a stronger sense of self.

Coherence in action involves aligning one’s beliefs, values, and behaviours to create a unified and purposeful approach to life. When individuals have coherence in action, they can make decisions and take actions that are in line with their goals and values, leading to a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

Coherence in action and resilience are closely related, as they both contribute to overall well-being and success in life. When individuals have coherence in action, they are more likely to have a strong sense of self and purpose, which can enhance their resilience. Similarly, resilience can help individuals maintain coherence in action by allowing them to overcome obstacles and stay focused on their goals.

Together, coherence in action and resilience enable individuals to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and effectiveness. They provide a solid foundation for personal growth, emotional well-being, and success in various areas of life, including relationships, work, and personal development.

Practical principles for practising self-kindness during a war

Why should we begin by taking care of ourselves?

Just as in an emergency during an air disaster, where you must first put on your own oxygen mask and then be able to help the most vulnerable children or other people, the response of unconditional care or kindness in the case of a war disaster must start with yourself.

Being kind to oneself is an essential aspect of personal well-being and happiness. By treating ourselves with kindness, we cultivate self-compassion, self-acceptance, and self-love. This involves acknowledging our strengths and weaknesses, embracing our imperfections, and practising self-care.

When we prioritise our own well-being, we are better equipped to extend kindness to others. By taking care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally, we have more energy and resources to share with those around us. This can be in the form of offering support, lending a listening ear, or showing empathy and understanding.

Furthermore, being kind to ourselves sets an example for others to follow. When people witness our self-compassion and self-care practices, they are more likely to adopt similar behaviours. By modelling kindness towards ourselves, we inspire and encourage others to do the same.

Ultimately, by being kind to ourselves first, we create a positive ripple effect. When we prioritise self-kindness, we not only enhance our own well-being but also contribute to creating a kinder and more compassionate world.

1. Keep the Inner Calm 

1. Practise mindfulness: Try to stay grounded and situate yourself in the reality of the present, contemplating the horror face to face. Try to become aware of the breath, and go within oneself “here and now”, connecting with the inner centre of peace, self-compassion, and kindness.
   
   In situations of relative calm, try to live small moments of mindfulness or full consciousness about very simple but meaningful things, such as when sipping water, when eating something, when giving or receiving a caress from a loved one, when thanking someone for something, when receiving someone’s support or thanks, when remembering a positive episode in life…
   
   Obviously, this soothing response of calm and soothing in the face of disaster and suffering of self and others is more likely to occur in people trained to meditate, but it is not impossible in any circumstance.
   
   If we panic or succumb to hatred and thirst for revenge, we will not be able to think adequately to face the situation with the best possible guarantees of physical and emotional survival for ourselves and others.
   
   No doubt, maintaining calm in times of war can be extremely challenging, and some even call it a utopia. However, it is essential for survival and our own well-being. Here are further eutopic strategies that can help:
2. Stay informed: Knowledge about the situation can help reduce fear and uncertainty. Stay updated with reliable news sources to understand the status, developments, and potential risks. However, be cautious about consuming excessive or sensationalised information, as it can heighten anxiety.
3. Create a safety plan: Develop a plan for yourself and your loved ones to ensure their safety during wartime. Identify safe areas, emergency contacts, and evacuation routes. Having a plan in place can provide a sense of control and reassurance.
4. Practise self-care: Take care of your physical and mental well-being. Engage in activities that help you relax and reduce stress, such as exercising, meditating, or pursuing hobbies. Prioritise self-care to maintain emotional stability and resilience.
   Seek support: Connect with others who are going through similar experiences. Share your concerns, fears, and emotions with trusted friends, family members, or support groups. Talking about your feelings can help alleviate stress and provide a sense of solidarity.
5. Maintain routines: Establishing daily routines can provide a sense of normalcy and stability amidst chaos. Stick to regular schedules for meals, sleep, work, or other activities as much as possible. Routines can help create a sense of control and reduce anxiety
6. Limit exposure to violence: Minimise exposure to violent images, videos, or graphic content. Constant exposure to violence can increase stress levels and desensitise individuals. Instead, focus on positive aspects of life, engage in uplifting activities, or seek out inspiring stories.
7. Seek professional help if needed: If you find it difficult to cope with the stress of war, do not hesitate to seek professional help. Mental health professionals can provide guidance, support, and coping strategies tailored to your specific needs.

Remember, staying calm in times of war is a gradual process, and it’s normal to experience ups and downs. Be patient with yourself and others and focus on the strategies that work best for you.

2. Recognise and Express What You Feel

Autodidactic exercise: Try to name the emotions you are feeling and try to share them with others, whether it is fear, hatred, anger, helplessness, indignation, humiliation, vulnerability, sadness, guilt, revenge, affection, and concern for those closest to you, or a combination of several of these.

In other words, naming emotions and expressing them can indeed be a powerful strategy for resilience during times of war. Here are some clear emotions that individuals may experience during such challenging times and converting them into resilience:

• Fear: Acknowledging and naming fear can help individuals understand their own vulnerabilities and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
  Anger: Expressing anger in a constructive manner can help individuals channel their frustrations towards positive actions, such as advocating for peace or seeking justice for those affected by war.
• Sadness: Recognising and expressing sadness can allow individuals to grieve for the losses experienced during war, fostering healing and emotional resilience.
• Empathy: Cultivating empathy towards others affected by war can help individuals build connections and support networks, fostering a sense of community and resilience.
• Hope: Holding onto hope and expressing it can serve as a driving force during times of war, providing individuals with the strength to endure and work towards a better future.

In sum, by naming and expressing these emotions, individuals can better understand their own emotional landscape, seek support from others, and develop strategies to cope with the challenges of war. It is important to note that emotions are complex and multifaceted, and individuals may experience a wide range of emotions during times of war.

3. Maintain Life Hope

To realise that one is still alive, to sustain the painful present, to activate all the internal resources, emotions, values, and inner strength that one has to maintain the hope that one can get out of the horror, proposing different objectives and perspectives in the short and medium-long term and thinking about learning and personal growth after the hecatomb.

One needs to re-emphasise the role that hope plays in enhancing resilience during times of war. It provides individuals with a sense of purpose, motivation, and optimism, enabling them to endure and overcome the challenges and adversities associated with war.

Here are some ways in which hope enhances resilience:

• Psychological well-being: Hope helps individuals maintain a positive mindset and outlook, even in the face of extreme hardship. It allows them to believe in a better future and envision possibilities beyond the current situation. This psychological well-being helps individuals cope with stress, trauma, and anxiety during war.
• Motivation and determination: Hope fuels motivation and determination to persevere through difficult circumstances. It gives people the strength to keep going, despite the immense challenges and sacrifices required during war. Hope instils a sense of purpose and empowers individuals to fight for a better future.
• Resisting despair: War often brings about a sense of despair and hopelessness. However, hope acts as a counterforce to despair, enabling individuals to resist giving in to negative emotions. It provides a sense of resilience and the belief that things can and will improve, even in the darkest of times.
• Building community and support: Hope can bring people together, fostering a sense of unity and solidarity. During war, individuals with hope often seek out and connect with others who share their optimism and determination. This sense of community and support is crucial for resilience, as it provides a network of individuals who can offer emotional support, encouragement, and practical assistance.
• Adapting and finding solutions: Hope encourages individuals to think creatively and find innovative solutions to the challenges posed by war. It promotes resilience by enabling individuals to adapt to changing circumstances, identify opportunities for improvement, and work towards positive change.

Overall, hope acts as a powerful force during times of war, enhancing resilience by providing individuals with the mental and emotional strength to endure, overcome, and work towards a better future.

4. Be at the Service of Others

To put ourselves at the service of those closest to us in order to take care of their immediate physical and emotional survival:

• Doing whatever we can in the best interests of physical survival in the most supportive, generous, collaborative and creative way possible.
• Listening to others attentively as much
  as possible.

Being at the service of others can help create resilience during times of crisis such as war because it fosters a sense of purpose, builds social connections, and promotes a sense of unity and collective responsibility. Here are a few reasons why:

• Purpose and meaning: Serving others during a crisis provide individuals with a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. It gives them a reason to keep going and persevere through difficult times. By focusing on helping others, individuals can find solace in knowing that their actions are making a positive difference in the lives of others, even amidst the chaos and destruction of war.
• Social connections: Serving others during a crisis often involves working together in teams or communities. This creates opportunities for individuals to build strong social connections and support networks. These connections can provide emotional support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging, all of which are crucial for resilience during times of crisis. By working together, individuals can share their burdens and find strength in the collective effort.
• Unity and collective responsibility: Serving others fosters a sense of unity and collective responsibility. During times of war, communities often come together to support and protect each other. By actively participating in service, individuals contribute to the overall well-being of their community, which strengthens the bonds between community members. This sense of unity and collective responsibility can help individuals withstand the challenges of war and create a resilient community whose members supports and uplifts each other.
• Psychological benefits: Serving others can have positive psychological effects on individuals. It can provide a sense of satisfaction, fulfillment, and a boost in self-esteem. These positive emotions and feelings can act as protective factors during times of crisis, helping individuals cope with stress, trauma, and adversity more effectively.

Overall, being at the service of others during times of crisis like war can help create resilience by providing individuals with a sense of purpose, building social connections, fostering unity, and promoting positive psychological well-being. These factors contribute to the ability to bounce back, adapt, and persevere through challenging circumstances.

5. Transform and Channel.

Although it is practically impossible to justify or excuse situation of violence nor is it easy to forget the damage caused, the most radical, extraordinary, powerful, practical and emotionally healthy response of kindness might be a proper medium to do so, and engaging in it for the long term leads to transforming and channeling the emotional energy of fear and rage into compassionate energy of forgiveness on behalf of the aggressor. The reparation of the damage caused, and construction of new realities of future may coexists.

From a state of serenity and the practice of mindfulness and unconditional kindness, it is possible to think re imagine and rewrite realty. Afterall, reality is truly in the eye of the beholder. Here are a few examples:

• “No truth is totally true; it is only partly true at best. Do not categorise, do not judge, do not align yourself with any ideology. What I think and believe today is different from what I thought and believed some time ago and what I will think and believe years from now…”
• Truths can be considered relative and subjective because they are shaped by individual perspectives, beliefs, and experiences. Different people may perceive and interpret the same information or situation differently, leading to varying conclusions about what is true. Cognitive biases and personal biases can also influence how individuals perceive and accept certain truths. These biases can be based on cultural, societal, or personal factors, which can lead to different understandings of what is true. Furthermore, truth can be influenced by the context in which it is presented. The same information can be interpreted differently depending on the cultural, social, or historical background of the person receiving it. This means that truth can be relative to a particular context or situation.
• Additionally, truth can also be subjective because it often involves personal beliefs and values. What one person considers true may be different from what another person believes to be true, based on their own values and beliefs. This subjectivity makes truth a matter of personal perspective and perception.

In summary, truths are relative and in the eye of the beholder because they are influenced by individual perspectives, biases, experiences, and cultural contexts.

“If I had been born in a different place, had lived through different social circumstances, different friends, different family, different environment, different education… If I had suffered certain abuses, treatment, abandonment, contempt, discrimination… What would I be like today? Perhaps like the aggressor who is now killing us…”.

Thus, forgiveness is possible.

In fact, we are all united with everyone from the genetic matter that constitutes us as the human species of Homo sapiens. We all come from the first living beings that existed. We are all biologically interdependent siblings.

Hopefully we Homo sapiens will one day evolve into “Homo amabilis”, being aware that the brain response of unconditional kindness is much more convenient for our survival as a species than the response of endless revenge or violence.

An apparent paradox: War crisis and despair leads to growth

While it sounds like an unbelievable paradox, research shows that the aftermath of crises, such as wars and other disasters can lead to growth and renovation because they force individuals or societies to reassess their current situation and make necessary changes. When faced with a crisis or feeling despair, people are often pushed out of their comfort zones and are forced to confront their weaknesses, limitations, or failures. This can lead to a period of self-reflection and introspection, where individuals or societies evaluate their values, priorities, and goals. During this process, people may discover new strengths, develop resilience, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. They may also become more open to change and more willing to take risks to overcome the crisis or despair they are facing.

Additionally, crisis and despair can bring people together and foster a sense of community. In times of adversity, individuals often find support and solidarity with others who are going through similar experiences. This shared experience can create a sense of unity and motivate people to work together towards finding solutions and creating positive change.

Ultimately, crisis and despair can serve as catalysts for growth and renovation because they challenge individuals and societies to adapt, innovate, and evolve. They can lead to new perspectives, new ideas, and new approaches that can bring about positive transformation and renewal.

Conclusion

Resilience during times of war and dystopia is indeed a significant challenge. The stress of armed conflict creates a multitude of physical, emotional, psychological, political and economic hardships that can severely test the resilience of individuals and communities.

War often results in the loss of loved ones, destruction of homes, and displacement of communities. These traumatic experiences can have long-lasting effects on individuals, making it difficult to bounce back and rebuild their lives. During times of war and conflict, people live in constant fear and uncertainty. The threat of violence, displacement, and loss can create a sense of helplessness and anxiety, making it challenging to maintain resilience.

Despite these challenges, resilience can still emerge during times of war and conflict. Communities often come together to support one another, find ways to adapt, and rebuild their lives. Resilience during these times is about finding strength in the face of adversity, adapting to new circumstances, and seeking support from others. It requires a combination of individual and collective efforts to overcome the challenges and rebuild lives in the aftermath of war and conflict.

While there are various approaches to enhancing resilience, this paper suggests a distinctive perspective centred around unconditional kindness. The emergence of unconditional kindness involves showing empathy, compassion, and support towards oneself and others, without any conditions or expectations. This approach to resilience recognises the importance of fostering positive emotions, building strong relationships, and cultivating a sense of love and belonging.

Firstly, practicing unconditional kindness towards oneself can significantly contribute to resilience. This involves being self-compassionate and understanding when facing challenges or setbacks. Instead of being self-critical or judgmental, individuals can offer themselves kindness and understanding, recognising that everyone makes mistakes and experiences difficulties. This self-compassion helps in developing a resilient mindset by promoting self-acceptance, self-care, self-confidence and, ultimately, self-esteem.

Secondly, extending unconditional kindness to others can also enhance resilience. By offering empathy and support to those around us, we create a sense of connection and belonging. This social support network becomes crucial during tough times, as it provides a safe space to share experiences, seek advice, and receive emotional support. Acts of kindness towards others not only benefit them but also foster positive emotions within us, leading to increased resilience.

Furthermore, promoting a culture of unconditional kindness within communities and organisations can have a profound impact on resilience. When kindness becomes a shared value, individuals feel supported, valued, and motivated to overcome challenges. This can be achieved through initiatives such as kindness campaigns, peer support programmes, or fostering a positive, participative and inclusive work environment.

As Homo sapiens, we need the resilient re-evolution of unconditional kindness!

About the Authors

Dr. Salvador García Sánchez is a medical doctor and social psychologist. He is a professor at the University of Barcelona. He is a co-founder of the Butterfly Movement, a eutopic alliance of values and conversations between old and young generations aiming at pollinating unconditional kindness to self and others. Creator of the “Values Intelligence” model and the “Cards on the Table” conversational tool.

Dr. Simon L. Dolan has completed his doctorate at the University of Minnesota in HRM and Work Psychology. He is presently a full professor and senior researcher at Advantere School of Management. He is a prolific writer (over 85 books and more than 150 articles published in scientific journals)) and founder of the think tank “Global Future of Work Foundation,” in which he serves as the president. He is the creator of the coaching and leading by values philosophy, methodology, and tools. More: www.simondolan.com

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia
   See: List of ongoing armed conflicts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa
3. https://www.stephengilligan.com/
4. Gilbert, P. “An Evolutionary Approach to Emotion in Mental Health With a Focus on Affiliative Emotions”. Emotion Review 7(3). July 2015
5. Salvador Garcia (2018) Inteligencia de Valores. Alicante: ECU. English version forthcoming: “Values Intelligence: a good step inside and three steps forward”.
6. Howard Gardner (1993) Multiple Intelligences. Basic Books.
7. Simon L. Dolan (2020) The secret of coaching and Leading by Values: How to ensure alignment and realignment (Routledge).
8. https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/earth4all-scharmer/
9. https://www.theworldkindnessmovement.org
10. See: García, S. and Dolan, S (1997) La Dirección por Valores: la gestión del cambio más allá de la dirección por objetivos (McGraw Hill); Dolan S.L., Garcia S., Richely B (2016) Managing by Values:
11. A corporate Guide to Living, Being alive and making a living in the 21st Century (Palgrave MacMillan).
12. Dolan, S.L. Brykman, K., (2024) The Art and Science of Building Trust (forthcoming in 2024).

The post The Eutopia of Engaging in Unconditional Kindness to Self and Others appeared first on The European Business Review.

In this article, we extend the logic that was previously published in Part I of this journal and explain the requirements for a successful deployment of future design. We argue that we must holistically evolve in order to be capable of designing, and living within, the best future design possibilities. We also discuss implementation issues that complement those provided in Part I.

Deploying the Future Design Framework

Overview

Future design work begins with asking the question: “What do we want to focus on?” The answer may be more difficult than it sounds. For example, a team of people may decide they want to focus on designing the future for education. This focus may be general: the generic future of education. It may be specific: the future for a specific age group or market (such as higher education or executive education). It may be geographically targeted: the future of education in Brazil. The direction may (and probably will) shift at any time in the organic implementation of the future design process.

The designer begins by exploring the context of the actual situation. From here, a definition of the key elements, key statements, and key issues of the emerging future and remote future emerges. The deeper and more intense the exploration of the actual situation, the deeper and more intense will be the definition of emerging future and remote future. In order to understand and imagine the fullest expression of the remote future, the designer(s) will need to cluster and mesh all the gathered and imagined insights, information, knowledge, and wisdom from both the actual reality and the emerging future. The latter will include employing tools to reach out to the future, beckon the future, and listen to the future, pulling its insights and wisdom back into the design process moment. A variety of visual models can be created to draw a wide range of insights from multiple intelligence sources (e.g., mind, body, heart, and spiritual) into the wisdom-seeking design process.

As designing moves forward to address the future, the level of confirmed information and knowledge will decrease in proportion to unknown information. The designers’ perceptions will need to be developed so that each member of a team itself will be capable of clearly seeing the future with sincere empathy. Activating heart intelligence will support these processes as well as guide the designers to the most appropriate source of knowledge. These sources may include historical information, international experiences, other people’s views (especially controversial ones), interdisciplinary knowledge, and multimedia medium. Contradictory insights should be especially noted. Key factors to observe, discuss, and creatively address in this process include:

• Do you see linear progression (i.e. more of the same)?
• Do you see natural ageing or decay of current elements?
• How do you measure the probability that actions will occur?
• What level of hype is affecting the situation (tech hype, tech progress, acceptance, applications, etc.)?
• What trends and mega-trends may be converging?
• What black swans and / or jokers may be present?
• What unexpected discoveries and breakthroughs may occur?
• What changes are already occurring today that may lead to future outcomes?
• What is the market drive or demand for the element?
• What are possible points of no return?

The Future View

It will be of the utmost importance to integrate mesh learning and clustering of all insights and information as well as to utilise skills of creativity, intuition, imagination, and dreaming in the process of designing the emerging and remote futures. Using a visual model such as described in Exhibit 1 can help to gather insights as well as to communicate them with greater shared intelligence. This Future View allows the design team to chart a middle way through a range of possible futures including the expected and anticipated future (forecast), the unexpected and unknown future (black swans), the wishful and ideal future (utopia), and the feared and undesired future (dystopia). This model will be used repetitively, with each use allowing for deeper dives and higher flights of possibility.

Direction and Action

The Future Design Framework relies on the development of the direction of the project, the set of actions to lead us there, and the actual implementation of future option(s). Direction, as mentioned in Part I of this article, is the guiding star towards which we are headed. Actions are the choices made in the context of the current reality, emerging future, and remote future that are interrelated and mutually impactful. Direction, once set, will run in parallel with elected and implemented actions. Action operates in a variety of ways based on the designers’ perceptions, biases, and proclivities for implementation. For future design, it is action leading to implementation that will lead to purposeful and meaningful possibility (see Exhibit 2).

From Retro View to Future Navigator

Once the future design description is chosen, the design team will move towards beckoning this future and listening to the future, acting as if this future has already happened. They will then look back in time (even to the present moment) in order to chart the historical decisions and actions that have led to this point. Such a “history” of dozens of years of change will also lead to deeper awareness of both the emerging and remote futures. This process will allow the team to develop a Future Navigator which can help it to navigate towards the future. This method is particularly useful for the creation of disruptive innovation future options (Exhibit 3).

Design Skills

There are several design skills that will be helpful in using the Future Design Framework:

• Use constructive feedback (with oneself as well as with members of the design team) to create a thriving, successful design team. This includes several steps: 1) sharing appreciation for what has been proposed; 2) asking questions about its purpose; 3) describing one’s feelings and thoughts about it; 4) presenting one’s proposals for improvement; and 5) mutually dialoguing about the exchange.
• Create a mesh of information and knowledge flows about the core (core business, core issue, core topic, etc.); neighbouring topics; relevant current and emerging contexts; and creative white spots.
  Use direct dialogue, virtual dialogue, and social networks to gather additional info, knowledge, ideas, and insights.
• Create smart questions.
• Create a sustainable flow of information, knowledge, insights, and wisdom, documenting relevant information, knowledge, and wisdom (along with their source).
• Expand perspectives, information sources, skills, and insights about relevant and tangential topics.
• Cluster the information within an ad hoc created framework to uncover hidden patterns.
• Aim to become the most knowledgeable expert about the “topic.”

Specific Steps for Implementation

Here are some specific steps to follow when using the Future Design Framework. Remember that it will be implemented through both linear and non-linear (circuitous) ways. These are summarised in Exhibit 4.

Success Factors for Working with the Future Design Framework

There are several success factors for the designer and team to contemplate and discuss as they work with the Future Design Framework.

A vision: The mindset we use to anticipate the future will guide its creation. To create our most positive future, we believe it is essential to hold a positive, flourishing, and hopeful mindset.

We envision a new world, one with a new society, a new economy, and responsible leadership that focuses on developing a thriving quality of life for all. Old paradigms are replaced with new ones, developed collaboratively and inclusively across disciplines, cultures, and power structures. The fundamental principles for governance and leadership are collaboration, partnership, care, and creativity. The future way of life blends real and virtual worlds; artificial intelligence is used to create a sustainable, decent life for all the inhabitants of the planet. AI-based entities and robots are allies and partners with human beings. Work is redefined and redistributed between highly intelligent machines and robots and human beings. Human work and the parallel understanding of leisure will continually shift, yet we believe both will be an increasing source of meaning and value in people’s lives, organisations, communities, and society.

Constant reflection: This vision cannot occur without numerous questions being reflected upon, again and again and again. Over time, the questions and their answers will change and, in fact, must change, as the context will be ever-evolving. Thus, the skill of reflection and the ability to gather, synthesise, and explore—along with the capability to creatively destruct and mutually integrate information, knowledge, and wisdom—must be developed. Some questions to ponder include:

• How is work defined?
• Who is in charge? Who controls who and what?
• What is the value of leisure? Is human work a necessity or a privilege?
• Can human beings choose their work and “career” path?
• What ethical models can we, and should we, put in place to control technologies and their integration / substitution with work? How can we do this?

Values and ethical decision-making: Given the potential we have as human beings to watch (or even to create) either the destruction or the flourishing of our society and all that we stand and live for, it is time for us to live from our values. Values are the individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another, guiding human behaviour. Schwartz has identified basic, universal values that are shared by people across all cultures that are defined according to their underlying motivations.¹ They arise out of three universal requirements of the human condition: the needs of individuals as biological organisms, the requisites of coordinated social interaction, and the survival and welfare needs of groups. These values are categorised into four groups: openness to change (self-direction and stimulation); conservation (security, conformity, and tradition); self-enhancement (hedonism, achievement, and power) and self-transcendence (benevolence and universalism). Some values have intrinsic worth (e.g., love, truth, and freedom), while others describe behaviours or traits that are instrumental, the means to an end (e.g., ambition, responsibility, and courage). Still other values are considered sacred and act as moral imperatives for those who believe in them. This type of values are seldom compromised because they are perceived as duties rather than alternatives to be weighed in decision-making.

Values underlie ethical decision-making, a process that involves weighting values against each other and choosing which ones to elevate.² For the process of designing the future, pundits, scholars, and leaders of many disciplines — including the sciences, technology, medicine, arts and humanities, literature, business, government, etc.—recognise that it is the time for defining our values and ethical decision-making. Ethical decision-making, too, is a collaborative process that must be undertaken by people of different cultures, backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of power. Here, again, are reflective questions that must be pondered upon in this process:

• Who will / should be involved in the definition of values and ethical decision-making?
• What values (shared, intrinsic, instrumental, and moral imperatives) matter, both today and in the future?
• How will we conduct, manage, and lead from the ethical decision-making process?
• How do we stay abreast of the changing context and its impact on values and ethics?

Generational involvement: Throughout the ages, each generation has tended to view the world and all its challenges and opportunities with different mindsets and behaviours from other generations.³ Great events in history affect the lifestyles of a generation and affect different generations differently. Generational behaviour also affects how and when we participate as individuals in social change or social upheaval as well as how we see our present reality, our future, and our past. Baby boomers, for example are idealists, loathe narcissism and self-satisfaction of their peers yet are also self-centred in orientation. Gen X-ers are self-reliant, self-sufficient, and sceptical and don’t trust in the permanence of things. Millennials are confident and goal-oriented. They respect egalitarian leadership, seek an integrated work / life balance, and are oriented to the collective self. Gen Z-ers are more protective, self-taught, and self-aware in their orientation. Furthermore, different generations also have different views of technology. Whereas millennials are technology-dependent and hyperconnected through mobile devices, instant messaging, and texting, Gen Z-ers have developed with the personalisation of technology and content—a capability that will enable this generation to self-educate and experience individual growth across their lifetime.

As we contemplate, envision, and design the future, it will be necessary to collaborate in cross-generational teams, extensively leveraging young people and new generations of young people over time so that we benefit from their new perspectives, values, and mindsets.

Transformation of perception: To be capable of designing the future, we will need to overcome the limitations of human beings to perceive the reality around us so that we can create anew. This will require us to activate new sources of intelligence, imagination, intuition, and dreaming.

For this to happen, people will need to learn how to “deform” or detach the perceptions we hold that are mere projections arising out of stored neurological patterns that influence our views, behaviours, and decisions. These stored patterns are deeply layered, conscious and unconscious, built and reinforced over time, affecting our world view and all that we claim to be true. How often do we actually question how we see, why we think the way we do, our judgements, cultural and personal biases, values, and truths that we hold most dear? Our embodied worldview colours our view of everything we see and do and define our mental comfort zone, which feels safe and familiar; our framing of the possible and impossible; our likes and dislikes; our expectations of ourselves and others. We are controlled by the human habit of projecting the past upon the present as well as the future, generalising experiences and preferences, expecting other people to concur with our views.

To get meaningful insights about the future, it is necessary to transform our nervous systems so that we are capable of seeing from the present moment (releasing our attention to both the past and future projections); exploring relevant actual context; and listening to the emerging and future context. Listening to the future will require holding empathy for the future and the people we work with, crossing space and time, while simultaneously being capable of increasing our ability to work within increasingly complex systems and webs of knowledge.

How do we most easily and sustainably achieve this level of neurological change? It starts with heart intelligence.⁴ By accessing the power of the heart with practices and tools, those biases, prejudices that are locked in our nervous systems can be transformed, allowing access to our higher cortex, the part of the brain where values, flexibility, and systems thinking reside. Through the heart, we can access intuitive intelligence and heart qualities such as care, compassion, dignity, peace, calm, joy, and love while also enabling us to activate empathy so that we create a sincere relationship with the future.

As heart intelligence supplements mindful intelligence and even spiritual intelligence and we deepen our capacity for handling complexity, we can also pour in more information, knowledge, and wisdom by studying, and reflecting on, our history, international experiences, and other people’s views (even if controversial).⁵ We may also be able to integrate new sources of knowledge and experience such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse.

From here, imagination and dreaming are born.⁶ We are able to leave our mental comfort zone —our home base of paradigms and expectations—and venture to the beyond, a new universe of ideas and concrete realities, hope, and possibilities. This is a bold undertaking, not just an intellectual adventure but a visionary, mindful, heart-filled, and spirit-led journey: the middle way through the opposing lenses of dystopia and utopia.

Transformative and meaningful innovation and entrepreneurship:

Intelligence, intuition, imagination, and dreaming are key ingredients for transformative innovation — the tool of entrepreneurship that energises the creative destruction process and enables the creation of something new that creates significant and lasting change. To be transformative, innovation and entrepreneurship deliver meaningful value and sculpt the paradigm of meaningfulness for people and society.

Responsibility and partnership: No longer will it work to ignore, or pretend to not see, the crises we are facing. As human beings have created most of our most critical global issues, it is up to us to solve them. This will require great work by courageous people representing a multi-coloured and multi-layered tapestry of capabilities, experiences, and sociocultural backgrounds—all of whom are stakeholders in our shared and future world, all of whom offer unique value for creating solutions and designing the future. We see three pathways to success:

• Conduct transformative innovation via entrepreneurship, focused on delivering financial, social, human, and planetary impact.
• Create communities built on partnership rather than the old paradigm of domination.⁷ Communities will include both digital and virtual ones while partnerships will include both human-to-human and human-to-intelligent machine collaborations.
• Develop heart-, purpose-, and action-centered communities—fueled by shared values and inspired with new sources for intelligence, imagination, intuition, and dreaming—that are able to create a new future out of our current experiences of breakdown, crisis, and destruction.

A Model of Wholeness for Human Beings

The human being is a most miraculous creation of nature. Every individual is a unique and highly complex system who lives within a relational web with other unique, complex human beings. The human system is vast and diverse, a microcosm within the macrocosm of the universe. Both the individual and his or her groups have the incredible potential for learning, being, and creating, all of which are rarely fully developed. In order to design the future, each human being will therefore need to continue to evolve as a complex, whole, and integrated Self as well as member of multiple communities.

The human experience operates at multiple levels, all of which originate with the Self (see Exhibit 6). One useful conception is the “mind-body-soul” connection that incorporates multiple elements of wholeness. A whole person has personal and professional lives that interconnect, and mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual spheres that influence and interact with each other. Thoughts and feelings affect one’s physical well-being, which, in turn, impacts one’s thought process. One’s spiritual well-being brings a sense of purpose and meaning in life, including morals, ethics, beliefs, and faith, and sets the overall context for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The power of heart intelligence integrates with, and balances, the intelligence of the rational mind, empowering resilience and well-being, and serving to heal stress, bias, and emotional patterning stored in the nervous system.⁸

Although mind, body, and soul do not operate alone, it’s useful to look at their foundational roles and contributions to the human experience. The mind is the home of knowledge, wisdom, consciousness, and choice. It is the home of rational intelligence and the intellect as well as cognitive and meta-cognitive capabilities. From here, understanding, imagination, and free will is born. Within the heart lies feelings and emotions, heart qualities and values, and the foundation for heart intelligence.⁹ Here, emotions and values interplay. By activating positive, regenerative emotions such as care, compassion, calm, respect, dignity, joy, and love, one can bring coherence to one’s neurological system and being. By activating heart intelligence, one can access one’s higher brain functions as well as higher self and wisdom. One is also capable of creating true connection and relationships with other people. The body is the home of the physical aspects of life: the beating of the heart; the circulation of the blood; the five senses; and sensuous aspects of love. The body holds the person’s physical characteristics and attributes as well as embodied mind, competencies, and emotions. Within the body, one feels from the gut and experiences the range of toxic to energising moods.

There are many overlaps in this inner system. Intuition arises within the heart and body. Entrepreneurship incorporates the mind and heart. Purpose is borne within the mind, heart, and spirit. Wisdom encompasses and integrates all the contributions of the heart, mind, body, and soul.

The Self incorporates the whole being in the statement, “I am.” Bigger than Descartes credo (“I think, therefore, I am”), the Self integrates the inner context of self with external reality. This holistic being manifests in everything from one’s unique fingerprint and personal presence to one’s presence within the dynamic, transforming community of other Selves. The Self also mirrors, embeds, and is embedded in the Higher Self, placed at the transcendence level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—the very highest and most inclusive or holistic level of human consciousness.

It is out of this system of the Inner Context of the Self that meaning is made. Every aspect of the Self (mind, body, spirit) seeks meaning, yearns for expression, and longs for purpose. Human beings are born for meaningfulness that is embedded in our cells, breath, and spirit.

We can thus extrapolate important conclusions:

• Life is a permanent quest for meaning and meaningfulness.
• Meaning is contextual, born in, and affected by, the interplay of internal and external contexts.
• Meaning can bring us closer to transcendence.
• People hunger for transcendence.
• We can experience meaning on many different levels within the maze of life: individuals, group, team, community, society and even humanity.
• Life offers a networked, complex maze of diverse and purpose-filled, meaningful relationships.
• Our quest for meaningfulness results in purpose, contribution, and the legacy that we leave to our children and our children’s children.

The Path(s) to Meaning

There are many paths to meaning. One important path is creating value through living one’s values. This practice adds value to one’s life, community, and society. Another path is creating and living one’s dream life (based on one’s core values) using intuition, imagination, and a little bit of fantasy and fiction. The direction can be large and more “esoteric” in nature, such as making the world a better place, educating, or mentoring the next generation. Or it can be more job-specific, such as playing a role in the production of pharmaceutical products, delivery of health services, or the creation of an art form. Meaningfulness is an important indicator of value; values are an important driver of meaningfulness.

Over time, as we move from observing how things are to wondering why things are the way they are, wisdom grows. We discover the difference between having and being. We uncover what really matters. We recover life’s meaning. This shift in values and questions may occur from the natural ageing process. Often, it is the result of a dramatic life change, a crisis, a monumental event that shakes us to the core, splits us open to reveal a hole within, a question never asked, an answer never found, a part of oneself that is yearning to be born. All of a sudden, we become aware of our life, the meaning of our life, the limited time we have yet to be here. We reflect on all the time we have drifted through life, living a life that others have expected. We appreciate the value of the present, the now, the living that occurs in the sacredness of every present moment. We wake up to an inner command: it is time to design one’s own purposeful life.

Summary and Conclusions

By gathering all our insights, imaginings, intuitions, and contextual information into this model, we can begin to chart the middle way for designing a desired future. Multiple iterations of this entire process will serve to expand the possibilities for the future, giving the team the opportunity to collaboratively co-create the future of education, as an example. This co-creative process must take into account the expected and anticipated future (forecast), a wishful and ideal future (utopia), an unexpected and unknown future (black swans), and a feared and undesired future (dystopia).

We know that we stand on the precipice of change. With one foot in the past and another in the present, our eyes scan two horizons: to the west lies the setting sun; to the east, the rising sun. The competing pulls urge us to let go of the pure rule of traditional paradigms, the “Western civilisation” as we have known it, while it beckons us to anticipate the new, to wonder what lies on the other side of the eastern horizon. We sense the possibilities. From contextual analysis, we see the dawn of major breakthroughs in astrophysics, elementary physics, biosciences, and medicine, many supported by advanced technologies. Perhaps the discoveries and innovations made in this era may be as great as those made 100 years ago by Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Rutherford, Hubble, and many others.

Living in today’s transforming world demands great imagination, intuition, courage, and intention. In this present moment, we stand on the precipice of great possibility and great harm, encouraged by the work of hope-filled leaders and our own desire to live meaningful lives and to create a better world. Bubbles of joy, inspiration and love beckon us forward—all of us, every human being—to contribute our dreams and capabilities in the design, co-creation, and innovation of today and tomorrow. To walk the journey, we need the right arrows in our quiver: shared values, a targeted direction, a range of actions, and integrated understanding of the complex context involved in designing the current, emerging, and remote future. As we contemplate the future and the impact of the disruptive forces surrounding us, we know we must seek positive energy and hope over lack of control, fear of change, and the unknown in order to move forward.

Though it is unseen and unknown, the future is and can be born in our imagination. As students, learners, leaders, and human beings, we have the ability to leverage the poignant possibilities and achievements of the Cyber-Age to newly imagine society and economy. The emerging world view and awakening values will guide us in walking through the messiness of change we are living through today: high volatility, increasing uncertainty, growing complexity, and heightened stress and ambiguity. The creative process requires stepping directly into the creative void, experiencing the breakdown in order to achieve breakthrough, and allowing the future to speak to us, to pull us forward to what is yearning for creation.

The proposed Future Design Framework can be applied to designing the many dimensions of the future that lie before us: humanity, society, and planetary survival; business, organisations, teams, and leadership; global, regional, and local issues; social, economic, and cultural challenges; a single life, a family, or nation; or even the future of change itself. Over time and space, the role of information, knowledge, and facts will be replaced by the fruitful outcomes of intuition, imagination, and dreaming. Our ability to handle complexity will improve; our fear about the future will decrease. Our capacity for future design will improve, the more we practise it ourselves and with others. As human beings living in human societies, we have the great capacity to learn, creatively destruct, and transform—standing tall while walking the middle way to our shared future that is born of imagination rather than destiny.

About the Authors

Dr. Kristine Marin Kawamura is currently a Clinical Full Professor of Management at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University (California, USA). She is also the CEO and founder of Yoomi Consulting Group, Inc., a leadership success and organisational transformation company. Her research, as well as her overall purpose, is focused on transforming leadership, organisations, societies, and individual lives with Care—a core resource for creating extraordinary connection, authenticity, resilience, and engagement in organisations and unlocking new levels of human, technological, and societal impact. www.cgu.edu/people/kristine-kawamura/ or https://yoomiconsulting.com

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organisations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy and Executive Director at”Raich Futures Studies” in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society, education, business, and work.

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a senior professor and researcher at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, and stress and resilience enhancement. He has also published over 150 papers in scientific journals. He is an internationally sought speaker. His full CV is at: www.simondolan.com

Dr. Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at Ross School of Business, the University of Michigan, and Partner at the RBL Group (www.rbl.net), a consulting firm focused on helping organisations and leaders deliver value. He studies how organisations build capabilities of leadership, speed, learning, accountability, and talent through leveraging human resources. He has written over 30 books and 200 articles on talent, leadership, organisations, and human resources.

Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a Board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office, CC Trust Group AG, and also the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG with headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company.

References

1. See Source: Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values. Online readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1116, p. 9.
2. An interesting innovative methodology to assess dominant values has recently been designed and offered by Simon L. Dolan (co-author of this chapter); see: www.learningaboutvalues.com. Furthermore, there is a recent innovative online app enabling the assessment / audit of the ethical conduct of members of any organisation (see www.myDOVA.com).
3. See https://www.nhhfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Conference_Handout_Martin_2019.pdf and Strauss & Howe (1991) Generations. Morrow & Co: New York.
4. See the work of Kristine Marin Kawamura, co-author of this article, for research on the power of heart intelligence to transform biases and integrate multiple intelligence and knowledge sources. http://www.yoomiconsulting.com/
5. Ibid.
6. For guidance, Melissa Allen describes simple ways to develop imagination. https://www.ideatovalue.com/crea/melissaalles/2016/04/10-surprising-ways-develop-imagination/
7. See the work of Riane Eisler: https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/riane-eisler/
8. See the work of Kristine Marin Kawamura, co-author of this article, for research and services related to the development of heart-centered leadership capabilities, regenerative emotions, and heart intelligence. http://www.yoomiconsulting.com/
9. Ibid.

The post The Art of Future Design — Part II: Deployment, Wholeness, and Impact on Human Beings appeared first on The European Business Review.

Our desire to design a better future for those coming behind must be guided by a new framework that considers the complexity of a yet unknown future and the different forces that influence it.

Throughout human history, people wake up to the fact that we are here for only a short “blip” in time. They may look up to a starry night and ponder the vastness of space, the greatness and smallness of their own lives. This sudden awakening to the preciousness of time inspires many to contemplate the meaning and purpose of their lives; their placement in history; their role in creating or at least influencing the future; or the power of their own choices to change direction, influence others, and contribute to the greater sense of meaning in the course of human history. It leads many to recognise that each one of us is a valuable yet momentary hero or heroine, living our life in a human society on a living, breathing, and changing planet.

Scientists and philosophers, too, explore the meaning of life within their respective disciplines and perspectives. We know from quantum mechanics, for example, that all material objects simultaneously exist as a wave and a particle. This paradoxical mystery also applies to the experience of being human beings. On one hand, we flow (sometimes bumping along) through the journey of our lives — growing, learning, changing, and eventually, moving into the great unknown. Simultaneously, at any one moment, time stands still and the greater context of our society and world is frozen in meaning and experience. We live each moment embedded in a specific society that is surrounded by a dominating “Zeitgeist” (a term often described as the spirit of the age, the overarching mood of that specific period that is constantly being created, and recreated, by the overarching ideas, beliefs, and events of that time.)

Life, itself, comprises waves and particles, experiences that are both individual and shared. Our moments in life are the particles; our journey through life, the wave. With life so short in the arc of the universe, our proposal is that one’s life should focus on goodness—being our better selves, contributing our strengths and values to create a better world, and taking action to design a healthy, thriving, and “best” future. Given the power that human beings have to envision the future, act, and produce impact, we see the value and responsibility for people of all cultures, disciplines, and walks of life to create meaningfulness, happiness, and even bliss for ourselves and others with whom we walk our journey through life’s moments.

This is the first of a two-part article. In part I, we discuss why we need a new framework to guide our efforts to design the future. We describe the Future Design Framework (developed by futurist Mario Raich, coauthor of this paper), and its foundational concepts. The issues discussed hereafter become of utmost relevance, especially in view of the recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), for which some fear that it can possibly destroy humanity (see: Delbert, 2022).¹

The Need for a Future Design Framework

Given that we don’t know the future, seeking to design the future is simultaneously stimulating, presumptuous, and terrifying. We can’t see it, touch it, or fully anticipate its possibilities and risks. Human beings live within an external, environmental context of forces, paradigms, assumptions, and axioms. We also operate from an internal, inner context that has been shaped over time. In this paper, we describe the positive and negative interpretations of the disruptive forces we face today and propose longer-term possibilities that may arise from these forces. We then present a model that portrays the complex, inner life of human beings and suggest methods to harness the potential capabilities that people may bring to the future design process. We propose that understanding our outer and inner contexts is a necessary process for future design and for creating meaningfulness in our work and lives.

Environmental Forces for Change

Most business professionals, strategists, and innovators are familiar with the process of analysing environmental forces through the lens of PESTELDG, a nomenclature that stands for, political, economic, sociocultural, technological, environmental, legal/regulatory, demographic, and global forces. All of these numerous interconnected forces characterise the present reality, which together formulate the current worldview we hold both as we perceive today and the future.

The Other Forces for Change

Technology and Economics as a Force for Change

Several interrelated elements of a PESTELDG analysis attract our attention. First is the advent of the Cyber-Age, which has moved us into a world in which digital systems—operating on their own, interacting with more conventional physical systems, human beings, and the environment—have flattened, quickened, and connected our world. This era is ripe with the potential transformation of business, education, culture, and society. Given the potential of the fourth industrial revolution to revolutionise the speed and scope of the creation and destruction processes, it mandates new regulations and changes in political systems and the role of government. Second is the convergence of advanced technologies—especially virtual reality (VR), alternative reality (AR), and AI—with their potential to alter our life and work, far beyond anything we can envisoin or expect. Advanced technologies also present new avenues for value-creation and new ways of working, living, and building relationships. There are also inherent risks and threats. Leaders and organizations may be unable to gather the full range of benefits or mitigate against the extensive spillover costs associated with advanced technologies. When technology is used to exacerbate polarisation, drive apart societies, and incent racism, terrorism, and war, it simultaneously increases anxiety and fear about the future threatens the destruction of the very fabric of society we honour and value.

Most powerfully and dramatically, the Cyber-Age facilitates the possibility to change the paradigm of the economy and economics and bring back meaningfulness into politics and the political-socio-cultural-economic systems that gird our world. For at its core, the central question of economics is to determine the most logical and effective use of resources to meet private and social goals by providing products and services that are valuable and meaningful, to individuals, communities, and societies. Our overwhelming drive for profit as a core element of capitalism, however, has motivated many leaders and organisations to exploit the planet and resources, creating spillover costs and negative collateral impacts on society and the environment. (For example, we accept the harmful and damaging impact of CO2 on the environment. We cannot even manage to gain agreement from the multiple stakeholders, in most industries and corporations around the globe, to work towards CO2 neutrality or to reduce their CO2 levels, much less acknowledge that we have a climate change problem!)

The pervasive focus on profits has created profound distortions in the meaning of economy. Economics is really “economy in action.” The purpose of economics (along with the application of resources and innovation processes) is to provide meaningful products and services for individuals and society, meaningful value creation, meaningful work, and the sharing of created value (through work, education, and economic development activities). Work, in fact, gives meaningfulness to our lives and the opportunity to create relationships—what research has shown to be the most important basis for a healthy and happy life.2

The Western Zeitgeist as a Force for Change

The Western Zeitgeist (“spirit of the ages”) has been pervasive in nearly all our systems and primarily, the movement to capitalism.

The capitalism mindset has been forged from
many forces:

• Hundreds of years of limitless growth and exploitation of resources have stressed the planet and people, exacerbating a toxic relationship with productivity and performance and widening inequities and inequalities in our systems.
  Societies of domination (white power) along with the subjugation of people of colour, native communities and cultures, and women. The control of human beings through slavery, marriage, and lack of opportunity has led to inequity and inequality across the globe.
• The fake news in the social media that spreads like fire, with politicians taking advantage of the tools and content to manipulate us. All this carries the promises of a different future. But it is up to us whether it will increase the quality of life or become a threat to humanity.
• The focus of the media on bad news, constantly fueling our worries and fears, as we see crises everywhere: financial crisis, political crisis, social crisis, etc. Whether real or perceived, existing or not, crises and threats are increasing our anxiety about living.
• The lack of trust in traditional institutions such as corporations, governments, and religions has left people feeling cheated and betrayed by their leaders.
• The poor decisions made by parents and adults have burdened young people with a pillaged planet and the responsibility to “fix it.” These paradigms have powerfully skewed our perceptions (and thus our decision-making) for hundreds of years. Thus, our current reality as well as the one we project into the future is based on biases and judgements cemented not only in our own minds but also in our communities, organisations, societies, and institutions.

The Inner Context as a Force for Change

As human beings, we need to develop the capacity to overcome our limitations to perceive the reality around us as well as transform the layered perceptions we hold that have been “hijacked” by cultural and personal biases. This will empower us to reimagine, redesign, and reinvent our systems and paradigms in our quest to design our “best” future.

We believe there are three patterns that need transformation:

• Our tendency to view the world from the lens of our reality; what we see mirrors our stored memories, experiences, and perceptions influenced by the dominating worldview (Zeitgeist), biases, and even prejudices—all of which are stored within brains and nervous systems. These affect what we consider as possible and impossible, acceptable and unacceptable as well as our likes and dislikes and mental comfort zone.
• Our human habit to project our past experiences and present status into the future.
• Our propensity to project our own experiences, views, and preferences onto others, expecting them to feel, think, and behave similarly to ourselves.

How do we address these patterns and develop the capacity to view and hold the future with empathy? By adopting a hope-filled, growth mindset, making a courageous commitment to learn and grow, and undertaking the inner work to free oneself from these entrenched patterns³. There are many paths to this journey, depending on the individual. One may study human and social history; choose to travel, study, and/or work locally, regionally, and globally. One may develop relationships with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, mindsets, and cultures—appreciating both similarities and differences. One may also seek to develop a range of intelligence sources, expanding their own capacity to learn, connect with others, and collaborate.

An Important Note: Design Thinking Isn’t Enough

Although design thinking may be incorporated when designing the future, it may not be sufficient to address the complexity of thought process, creativity work, and transformation needed to achieve such a complex goal. In a few words, design thinking is a problem-solving process that focuses on solving the needs of a specific group of people, which is usually an organization’s customers.⁴ The approach matches customer needs with what is technologically possible and converts this into a business strategy that offers value and market opportunity. Design thinking can be used by all types of businesses as no one can ignore the changing needs and desires of their clients. Citing Grubel: “Design thinking draws upon logic, imagination, creativity, intuition and reasoning to explore the possibilities of what we could create to enable the desired outcomes for our end users.”⁵ The process involves five steps: 1) developing empathy for the end user; ²) identifying the problem; 3) using ideation techniques to create scenarios and solutions; 4) prototyping solutions; and 5) testing solutions with groups of consumers, users, and other stakeholders.

However, we see three critical weaknesses in attempting to design the future with this methodology:

Perception and bias: The team will implement all the steps using the current perceptions and biases of its members (and of the team itself). People’s brains and nervous systems are wired to recognise familiar patterns based on historical experiences and stored biases. The ability to empathise with the future will be based on the current reference frame and perceptions of the future.

Change and time: The design thinking process cannot address the fact that all inputs, outputs, and the process itself will evolve through the time and space involved in moving into the future.

Selection and information bias: The group will also be affected by selection bias and information bias. The members selected to be part of the group will most probably not match the characteristics of future members (who will have evolved given the environmental disruptions we will be facing, such as the human-AI-robot interface). Information bias will most probably occur because key study variables, ideas, and prototypes that will be possible in the future will not be known today—again affected by the lack of ability to perceive the future with “new eyes.” Because of defining shared values as part of the design process, it will be difficult to “lift” above the group’s individual values and perceptions of the problem, solutions, and future possibilities.

We believe a new framework is needed for desgining the future.

An Overview of the Framework for Future Design

The Future Design Frame-work has been developed to build a relationship with the future in three different ways. ¹) To reach out to the future from our current reality; 2) To beckon, or call forth, the future to enter the creative void; and then, 3) To listen to the future when it appears in the design process. (See Exhibit 3)

Unlike a traditional lineary framework, the future design framework is a sophisticated and circuitous (nonlinear) methodology that can be used to systematically explore, define, and create the future. It supports designers to utilise skills of imagining, intuiting, and intelligent dreaming along with action research and active planning to dynamically integrate both the direction and action over time and space.

The Future Design Methodology simultaneously comprises three modalities of time and space: the actual (and immediate context), the emerging future, and the more remote future—all three of which are juxtaposed within a world in great transition and a future that is in permanent and dynamic transformation. (See Exhibit 5). The framework thus provides a process that a) focuses on the desired future rather than the (currently) expected one; and b) views the emerging and future stages as dynamic rather than static. Because the framework works multi-dimensionally as well as cyclically, it allows us to cope with an ever-changing future as well as to take meaningful action along the way. In short, the framework allows us to develop a “future design,” which leads to the creation of both, or either, an emerging future view and a remote future view.

Concept Foundation-I: Management by Traction Framework

At the core of the Future Design Framework is the Managing by Traction (hereafter MbT) Framework.⁶ MbT is a simple and effective way to move forward in a dynamic form towards the selected direction. It acts as a simple feedback loop, building a dynamic and interactive relationship between “direction” and “action.” MbT incorporates five interdependent elements: 1) the context (an understanding of the world in transition i.e., driving forces, enablers and megatrends); 2) the MbT transformation framework (including three mutual feedback loops between direction and action: the actual, the emerging, and the future); 3) the direction (the guiding star towards which we are pointing); 4) the action (the nonlinear steps taken in quest of the direction within the changing context); and 5) the methodology utilised to discover and “find” creative solutions.

The application of action and direction in a design process, by themselves, are not new concepts. What is new, however, is defining and utilizing them in light of our turbulent environment; constantly changing players over time and space; the dynamic regeneration of three mutual feedback loops that are simultaneously changing and interdependent; and, the application of a “pull” strategy, in which the design process is pulling information and inputs from a future that does not yet exist.

It is important to understand the relationship between direction and action in MbT. With this process, the direction becomes an active part of the action, which can, in turn, continually influence and shape the identified direction. Direction and action, therefore, operate in tandem, with direction showing the way for the action, and action shaping the direction based on the outcomes implied in the direction.

Once the direction is established, the actions take the lead. The process continues as an interaction between the direction and action with three mutual feedback loops concurrently running (the actual, the emerging future, and the future). Continual assessment of the alignment between action and direction is required, in case corrections are needed.

Concept Foundation-II: Seeking the Middle Way between Dystopia and Utopia

What is critical in the journey is that we begin by embracing “flaws,” differences, and points of conflict within the design process and team. As we imagine collaborative groups of people partnering with others from different communities and societies working in the design process, we know that we will see a wide variety of degrees of ideas and progress. Such work in the creative void is necessary to the innovation process. The all-encompassing partnership process is based on many principles, including mutual respect, trust, common ground, open communication, complementarity, honesty, acceptance of the unknown, and willingness to walk through a transformation (and grieving) process.

These principles will be necessary to guide partnerships to navigate the journey through two overarching emotional and creative-destructive forces:

• Dystopia: the imagined state or society in
  which there is great suffering or injustice; typically, one that is totalitarian, post-apocalyptic; the after-effect of environmental disaster, with characteristics such as controlling, oppressive government, anarchy or no government, extreme poverty, and banning of independent thought;
• Utopia: the imagined place or state of things in which everything is “perfect;” with characteristics of peaceful governance, equality for all citizens, a safe and healthy environment, and education, healthcare, and employment for all.

As we experience today’s disruptive forces, dystopia seems to prevail as we experience fear and anxiety (that is exponentially spread through social media). Utopia, on the other hand, seems more like a wishful dream we hold for the future of society. The utopian-dystopian dilemma creates a vacuum between the two opposing forces. We are pulled between competing values such as love and hate, greed and generosity, good and evil, individual and community, survival and transcendence, and differentiation and collective beingness. Within the void lies potentiality, imagination, and creativity—all sources of power to mitigate the lack of committed action some people call fate.

For future design, we seek to travel the middle way between dystopia and utopia. The middle way forms its roots in Buddhist thought, which describes the middle ground between attachment and aversion, between being and non-being, between form and emptiness, and between free will and determinism. The concept can be applied to any dualism or diametrically opposed pair; in between any two opposites lies emptiness.⁷ This creative potential is needed to develop and implement solutions that will allow us to preserve and enhance life quality and solve global issues that threaten the future of humanity. Creative energy plus transformational innovation inspiring entrepreneurship can help us shape our world for better or worse—a direction that depends on our guiding purpose.

How can we motivate others to follow the middle way? Though Max Weber said that the sword, money, and words are tools to motivate people, we believe that more powerful inspirations are imagination, dreams, and love. The future begins with the ideas in our heads, the purpose in our hearts, the tools in our hands, the values we share, and the dreams and imaginings of the human spirit.

Concept Foundation-III: Context Matters

The future design process will be crafted from the complex interplay of past, present, and future contexts (See Exhibit 6). After all, the present moment is not a lone experience. As we stand in the present moment, we are rooted in a greater environmental context that has been built from past experiences, paradigms, and concepts. As we view the future from the present moment, it is a projected one, necessarily affected by the past and the present. Juxtaposed between the time and space of the past and future, the present moment is merely an arbitrary halt within the currents of time, ripples in space, and heartbeats we ride, the moment from which we dynamically project the future.

The context with which we perceive anything is always relevant. It is dense, complex, palpable, ever-changing and ever-being created. It can be continuously reimagined.
To easily understand the impact of context, think about your own life! You are an individual who can be differentiated by many attributes as well as skills, work and life experiences, talents, and interests. You have also been influenced ever since you were born by multiple systems, paradigms, and axioms: the political, economic, and social systems of your country; your cultural roots and values; your family’s priorities, rituals, and values; the rules defining good behaviour, rewards, and punishments that are defined by your family and society; and the assumptions that underlie every perception as well as process (including the meaning and application of the future design process!).

Context, too, establishes the foundation for our perceptions, including our individual mindset, worldview, and overarching Zeitgeist. Context provides the container for bias, spawns its development, and nourishes its perpetuation. Unless and until the designer is able to lift out of his or her bias, it serves as a concrete foundation in his or her nervous system. As the firmament for a society’s worldview and Zeitgeist, bias can rule and regulate the future design process.

Imagine how the designer’s perceptions and bias towards advanced technologies can impact their implementation and use in the present as well as greatly influence and control their role in the future. As we stand on the edge of the virtual frontier, many people are excited over the potential for artificial intelligence, the metaverse, virtual reality, augmented reality, and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. They envision the possibilities for creating immersive experiences across sectors (technology, entertainment, education, and retail) and within business functions (product/service development, customer and employee experience), for providing interactive sensory space for human beings and whole communities in their daily tasks, for creating new and increasing sources of economic value.

On the other hand, this is scary stuff! We are challenging the separation of human beings and technology, somewhat like the separation of church and state. There are huge risks and negative potentials from lack of control as we seek to control human beings, mindsets, emotions, consumer purchasing, decisions and the like. Such fear will impact the range of potentialities born from these advanced technologies. Perhaps positively? Perhaps negatively? Time will tell.

The context set by science and philosophy is always changing as well as we can see in the changing view of the source of illness (arising from imbalance or God?), the perspective of the earth as flat or round, or the relationship between the greater cosmos and divinity.⁹ Designer Johannes Jörg writes that today’s cosmos tends to be free of divinity, has no centre at all, and is almost infinitely larger than anything that’s even possible to imagine.¹⁰ He also says that our ongoing understanding of ourselves will dramatically expand the boundaries of our inner cosmos, emphasising the importance of introspection (beyond the more objective avenues to knowledge such as empirical evidence and logical reasoning) to self-understanding. He writes, “It seems to me that Western culture in the beginning of the 21st century is facing a corresponding cultural situation regarding the inner cosmos. Looking inside the human intellect, one is faced with a similar, stubborn bias of perspective as we look towards the stars five centuries ago.” This evolving view challenges us to look at the biases we hold resulting from our greater contextual understanding. If change is to happen, it must start on the inside.

Whether we are talking about the past, the present, or the future, context matters. Our views of the future have developed over time, and its possibilities and risks defined in terms of our current context and perception. Even the very perception of context we hold is built on the systems, paradigms, assumptions, and axioms that have been taken to be true. A system (of thought as well as perceived reality) built this way can be logical and rational; it can be partially true or, in the worst case, totally wrong. We only have to look at the great number of false “truths” about the Covid-19 pandemic posted on the internet or perpetuated by “fake news” channels to see this lived out today.¹¹

Summary of Framework Tenets

The Future Design Methodology rests on several tenets:

• When we are moving into the future, the unknown is only continuing to grow bigger in scope while also evolving at ever-increasing speeds. Additionally, we need to start with deeper insights into the actual context of the past, present, and future to both prepare for our journey and extend our understanding of the future.
• Arising from advanced technologies, increased complexity in managing and governing organisations, and structures, processes, tools, and instruments become increasingly incapable of adequate application, we are living in a state of permanent transition. Context (along with contextual changes) is becoming a driving force of transformation. This will most likely lead to growing disruption and transformation in all key aspects of human life: society, economy, business, science, technology, education and politics.¹²
• The future design process challenges us to move beyond our traditional strategic planning processes, intuition patterns, and sources of wisdom. It is designed to “push” (and “invite”) people and organisations to work beyond their comfort zone and reframe intuition patterns—a valuable capability in times of permanent change.
• The Future Design Framework supports these needs by taking a complex and systemic view, employing visual models so that insights are more intelligent and communicable, and is developed for collaborative work.
• The end users—and other beneficiaries of the design process—are the many diverse communities and societies that span our globe as well as their individual members who are all seeking to live lives of meaning while walking through transformations we can’t fully see or understand.
  Our ideation process must build evolution, transformation, and movement into its core and allow for the constant exploration of an ever-changing context (including both the environmental/outer context and the personal/inner context).
• Prototypes must include possibilities yet not envisioned, provide meaningful and equitable impact, and integrate with advanced technologies that are continuing to evolve from today to tomorrow. Testing must occur at multiple levels—human, robotic, and AI as well as individual, relational, community, spatial, and all the interconnections between the modalities.
• The definition of the “problem” needs to be examined as it will most assuredly be multi-layered, interdependent, and complex. Should we even be attempting to address the future? And what are our goals? To define it? Control it? Learn from it? Limit it? Or, co-create it?
• Throughout all the design steps, we will need to access the greatest aspects of our imagination, intuition, and intelligence—surpassing the sole application of mind-based processes. Our quest is to design the future and to do so in a way that empowers and encourages us to see our current paradigms and assumptions that control our current views of the past, present, and future. This process must allow us to see (and cocreate) a future that does not yet exist—one that cannot be built by simply reorganizing past data and analysis processes. This process must also empower us to simultaneously engage today’s current reality, tomorrow’s emerging opportunities, and the future’s constantly-changing possibilities.
  This article is a reduced version of a forth coming chapter that will be published digitally in a book entitled: The Future of Work – An Anthology. My Educator (www.myEducator.com)
  
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About the Authors

Dr. Kristine Marin Kawamura is currently a Clinical Full Professor of Management at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University (California, USA). She is also the CEO and founder of Yoomi Consulting Group, Inc., a leadership success and organisational transformation company. Her research, as well as her overall purpose, is focused on transforming leadership, organisations, societies, and individual lives with Care—a core resource for creating extraordinary connection, authenticity, resilience, and engagement in organisations and unlocking new levels of human, technological, and societal impact. www.cgu.edu/people/kristine-kawamura/ or https://yoomiconsulting.com/yoomiq/

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author, and global management consultant. He has been a senior executive in several global financial organisations and an invited professor to leading business schools, including ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy (www.emeritacademy.com) and Managing Director for the Innovation Services at ”Raich Futures Studies’‘ in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society, education, business, and work.

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently a senior professor and researcher at Advantere School of Management (Madrid) and the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, and stress and resilience enhancement. He has also published over 150 papers in scientific journals. He is an internationally sought speaker. His full CV is at: www.simondolan.com

Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at Ross School of Business, the University of Michigan, and Partner at the RBL Group (www.rbl.net), a consulting firm focused on helping organisations and leaders deliver value. He studies how organisations build capabilities of leadership, speed, learning, accountability, and talent through leveraging human resources. He has written over 30 books and 200 articles on talent, leadership, organisations, and human resources.

Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a Board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office, CC Trust Group AG, and also the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG with headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company.

References

1. Delbert C., (2022). There’s a Damn Good Chance AI Will Destroy Humanity, Researchers Say in a New Study. https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a41507433/stop-ai-from-taking-over/
2. See: The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger, MD, and Marc Schulz, PhD, Simon & Schuster (January 10, 2023) and The Good Life, An Interview with Robert Waldinger, https://hms.harvard.edu/magazine/sleep/good-life
3. See www.yoomiconsulting.com for practices and guidance to develop this capacity.
4. For an overview of the history of design thinking, see https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/design-thinking-get-a-quick-overview-of-the-history#:~:text=Cognitive%20scientist%20and%20Nobel%20Prize,as%20principles%20of%20design%20thinking
5. Sundy Grubel, Design Thinking in Real Life, May 9, 2019, https://www.accenture.com/us-en/blogs/software-engineering-blog/sundy-grubel-design-thinking
6. A full description can be found in a paper we published in The European Business Review in November 2020: Raich et al: Managing By Traction (MbT) Reinventing Management in the Cyber-Age, https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/managing-by-traction-mbt-reinventing-management-in-the-cyber-age/
7. For more, read the work of the philosopher-monk Nagarjuna (c. 2nd-3rd centuries, CE) from the Madhyamaka school. Madhyamaka – Encyclopedia of Buddhism https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Madhyamaka
8. See https://www.deviantart.com/andela1998/art/look-at-life-through-red-tinted-glasses-377908230
9. Our study of science, philosophy—and all the systems and knowledge that underlay our thinking and decision-making —are all rooted in context. There are many examples of how new knowledge caused an evolution or even a revolution in thinking about our world. In medicine, shamans believe that illness comes from imbalance, soul loss, entanglement (taking on the energy of others), lineage patterns, or disconnection from the natural world. In the Middle Ages, people believe that “god” controlled everything, thus, god must also send disease and illness. Infectious disease doctors study how the pathogen and host interplay in the infectious disease process. With regards to the Earth and its relationship with the solar system, people used to believe that the centre of the Universe was the spherical, stationary Earth, around which rotated the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets. This view, established by Ptolemy (4th century BC) was only overturned when scientific findings from Copernicus, a mathematician and astronomer, proposed that the sun was stationary in the centre of the Universe and the Earth rotated around it. This controversial perspective also became seen as the start of the Scientific Revolution, which brought ground-breaking shifts to the human conception of the cosmos and humanness itself. The Copernican revolution launched a fundamental cultural transformation away from religious paradigms and towards scientific paradigms.
10. See Jörg, Johannes. The Copernican Revolution of the human mind, October 31, 2021. (The Copernican Revolution of the Human Mind | Essentia Foundation) https://www.essentiafoundation.org/the-copernican-revolution-of-the-human-mind/reading/
11. For example, once a statement such as, “This is not a pandemic,” is repeated (and by people with high levels of reputation capital or marketplace power) and is reinforced by people’s supporting beliefs and values, a conspiracy theory can transpire. Soon, the speaker and listener hear only this statement, and they seek out information that perpetuates it, blinding them from anything that refutes its core message. Reinforced and dogmatic repetition of any assumption, paradigm, or axiom can build into a false context, believed by many but without a foundation in reason, facts, or the truth.
12. Raich M., Eisler R., and Dolan, S.L. (2014) Cyberness: The Future Reinvented, Amazon. https://www.amazon.es/Cyberness-Future-Reinvented-Mario-Raich/dp/1500673382; Raich M., Dolan S.L., (2008) Beyond: Business and Society in Transformation, Palgrave Macmillan.

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Work enables us to create value for ourselves and others. In our forthcoming book on the Future of Work, we examine what it involves, why it is occurring, and how leaders, organizations, and societies may positively innovate transformative solutions to guide our journey forward.

For years we have known that working is an essential component of one’s life. After all the years you’ve spent preparing for work, can you imagine life without it? Given the powerful set of disruptive forces occurring in the world today, what will work look like in the future? What will it mean? What will transform? What will stay the same? How will our working and nonworking time and activities be related—both in the fabric of our individual lives and of society?

The answers to these questions are provided in our forthcoming book on the Future of Work (hereafter FOW). The book uses data, science, creative speculation, imagination, core values, and reflective processes to guide the learner to discover the FOW. We use this approach to provoke people to open up and envision a future context that they, too, have never experienced. The book will awaken the learner with unfamiliar terminology, systems, and potentialities while also encouraging dialogue and collaboration around the burgeoning future of work.¹ We also publish and distribute the book using an innovative and futuristic digital platform that addresses the new generation of students (www.MyEducator.com). Our goal is to encourage readers to get out of their comfort zones and begin the challenging journey of co-creating and preparing for the future. Our desire is to train and educate learners of all backgrounds so that they align their work with the core values that are needed to craft a positive future.

Hereafter, we highlight several seminal ideas that are further developed in the book. We explore the value for work in people’s lives; we define the FOW era and describe the mega-forces driving its development; and finally, we propose a circular framework that organisations (individuals and teams) may use to co-create the future.

The Why of Work

Let’s start with the fundamental question: Why Do We Work? The answer for some people may be simple: because we must. Or, because we like it. We work to make money to secure other ends. Work fills our time. It buys us leisure and affords us the chance to “be who we really are” in our nonworking hours. Work enables mastery, autonomy, achievement, contribution, or a sense of accomplishment. It gives a way to economically measure our value or worth to a community, society, or family.

To others, the answer is profound: because it connects us to our artistry, our spirit, our sense of a greater master, the unknown, a greater being, a greater sense of destiny. It helps us to feel and experience life with a sense of hope, a source of meaning we seek to touch through the daily routines and operations of our lives. It empowers our voices, time, and connection with people or nature, to experience a sheer act of creativity. It gives us a sense of purpose, a means to actualise the fullness of our lives. It opens us to the river of knowledge and knowing, being and doing, and opens the floodgates of learning to our mind, heart, and senses. It makes us feel powerful, more alive, and more connected to other human beings and our community. It gives a way to answer the philosophical question: Why are we here?

Future of Work: The What, the Why, and the How

Today, as we stand at the precipice of yet another human revolution in work, we foresee that work is once again undergoing a fundamental transformation within a much greater and profound global metamorphosis. It begs our attention to collaboratively question and co-create its meaning, impact, and path forward.

The What

The FOW comprises facets that include how work, workers, and the workplace will evolve within the context of a cacophony of disruptive forces that simultaneously offer “limitless” opportunities and profound threats in today’s world. It is borne out of thousands of years of work, millions of small and large technological evolutions and revolutions, and changing human and organisational systems that have supported human evolution throughout civilisations. With the FOW, we celebrate the success of advanced technologies and their impact on productivity, information, speed, and efficiency yet arm wrestle with the inherent uncertainty, lack of control, and overwhelm of too much, too little, and too many unknowns. For the first time, advanced technologies make us question what is human and what is machine. They threaten the survivability of the planet that rages in reaction to unmitigated resource exploitation and lack of care. They challenge our values and invite leaders to walk the narrow line between creative destruction and meaningful transformation, inciting both the fear and hope of change.

The Why

There are three principal forces already set into motion that will impact workforces, workplaces, and the nature of work. (See Exhibit 1)

• The first megatrend is the growing adoption of technologies and the increase in disruptive technologies, including: artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, and human-machine interfaces and collaborations. New virtual work horizons will evolve, integrating new forms of intelligence, new physical-social-emotional-cultural workforce distribution methods, and hybrid workforce models. Workers, both individually and collaboratively must learn how to learn as well as unlearn knowledge, skills, and competencies in order to successfully perform.²
• The second megatrend is the twin, polarising forces of globalised and regionalised (localised) work. Frontiers of work are becoming meshed networks composed of individual “nodes” of work—with the location of work becoming progressively unimportant. Simultaneously, disruptive forces such as rising nationalism, political bipolarisation, hatred of difference, and fear of change are isolating nations, regions, communities, and human beings. The connections that bind us (like global supply chains, pandemics, fuel and food shortages, and shared knowledge) also serve to separate us.
• The third megatrend is the perpetual demand for constant creativity and innovation (in all the fields and disciplines, organisations, and institutions in which we work). This is the essence of a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. In the past, companies were able to establish market domination, benefiting from their position of strength for long periods of time; this was because the rate of change was easily absorbed and anticipated by strategists. Today, and in the future, the domination position will no longer be valid. Change, arising from fast-breaking trends in technological innovation, climate change, social media, information overload, digital connection, and others, is happening faster than ever. This means that institutions, organisations, and employees will need to assume more risk and innovate continuously on a faster-spinning transformation wheel.³

These trends occur within the greater systems and paradigms within which we work, lead, and perform. Traditionally, most organisations operated with an overwhelming focus on profit as the critical (and only) measure of performance. Organisation structures were hierarchical. Cultures were bureaucratic. Leaders were primarily men. Power meant “power-over,” with inequity and inequality rampant. The goals for innovation were to increase efficiency and the time-to-market of new inventions. Products and services were targeted to fulfil the needs and wants of consumers.

In principle, the purpose of an economy should be to provide products and services that deliver meaning to individuals and society. A new paradigm for “economics” becomes possible when people work to create an economy that reflects and generates meaningful shared values. As part of this, people will work to deliver products and services that embody these shared values, to create meaningfulness in their working and nonworking lives, and to foster happiness and wellbeing through valued relationships.⁴

The How

Based on years of research, we believe that the vast majority of society’s actors (i.e., governments, corporations, business leaders, educational institutions, and educators) are not prepared for this new landscape of work.⁵ Most still believe that the future will represent an extension of our current reality, systems, and paradigms. Many don’t know what they don’t know. Many will also continue to find comfort in the perceptions that have been groomed over the course of one’s life and experiences. What does it take to see anew? To view the unknown with a radical new lens? Knowledge. Courage. A willingness to unlearn, to sit in the void of learning anew. Reflection. Imagination. Hope. Values.

Once the capacity of individual human beings has been inspired and unleashed to question, learn, and create a new way of working in a new world, it is essential for organisations to also learn anew. They will need to move from using the traditional, linear approach for strategic development to adopting an “inside-out/outside-in” virtual, circular methodology.⁶

As we move into the FOW, we must leverage the strengths of organisations and individuals (including their capabilities, knowledge, experiences, and “soft” skills like imagination and intuition) across the boundaries and borders that typically divide us so that we co-create the most positive possibilities. For this to happen, we need to build a connection between what happens outside an organisation with what occurs within it — establishing a shared journey between the people inside and outside the organisation (Exhibit 2).

An “Outside-In” process starts with understanding the external context formed from general trends (e.g., technology, demographics, political toxicity, physical health, and mental wellbeing.) We need to identify the value (needed and defined) by the firm’s external stakeholders (customers, investors, communities, etc.), the people receiving the organisation’s work, so that the capabilities and actions taken by the internal employees are aligned with the trends and needs in the external environment. For example, given climate change, organizations will need to invest in product innovations that decrease carbon emissions and cultural innovations that enable them to increase shareholder value, human wellness, and overall social impact.

The “Inside-Out” process starts with identifying the human capabilities and actions within the organisation (related to talent, organisation, leadership, teaming, etc.) that need to be developed in order to maximise the value provided to external stakeholders who are operating within the changing environment. For example, a company may focus on improving employee engagement in order to maximise customer satisfaction or retention; it may develop diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes to meet the needs of, or gain an understanding of, diverse customer segments; or, it may invest in leadership development and implement a new management system to increase investor confidence in the organisation.

Embarking on a Shared Journey into the FOW

Whether we approach the new landscape of work from the angles presented in Exhibit 1 or those in Exhibit 2, one thing is certain: it will require the development of new workplace skills by individuals and teams. The new digital workplace not only will reduce the need for an onsite workforce but also will increase the demand for knowledge-intensive tasks. New workplace skills will also need to be developed. Some of these include: complex problem-solving; creative, critical, and innovative thinking; computer, software, and data literacy; and soft skills such as communication, empathy, emotional/social/cultural intelligence, cross-cultural management, resilience-building, reflection, and flexibility.

Furthermore, the journey into the FOW is a shared journey. No one person, team, or organisation can walk the journey alone. People will need to learn specific skills on how to collaborate, connect, communicate, imagine, and co-create with other people, on teams, and in cross-border working groups. Learning to build relationships with people in digital and face-to-face environments will be a requirement for all workers and leaders—not just those who are extroverts and more comfortable working on teams. In order to succeed, leaders must learn how to build trust, lead imagineering and creativity sessions, align values, and develop resilience in globally-based, culturally diverse, and remote working groups — leading the creation of the future while walking through it.

Discovering the Future of Work

Here are the initial questions the learner may use to begin the shared journey to the FOW.

1. Context and Vision for the Future of Work

• What is the history of work? Why does context matter to the Future of Work?
• How is the nature of work, workers, and workplace evolving?⁷
• What management system is needed to build successful cultures and organisations? What is “Managing by Traction” (MbT) and why is it necessary for the journey?⁸
• How can we successfully and imaginatively create the future? What is the Future Design process?⁹
• What creativity and imagination skills will guide the journey?¹⁰

2. The Future of Business and Management

• How will business transform in the Cyber-Age?¹¹
• How will leadership evolve and disrupt current systems? What is Leadership 5.0? ¹²
• What are the core principles of “Managing by Values?” How does it differ from managing by objectives or instructions? ¹³
• How can we create a continuous sustainable innovation culture? Why is MBVSIV so needed?¹⁴
• What is “Talenting?” How can we attract, retain and motivate talent? ¹⁵

3. The Future for People and Practice

• What leadership competencies are required to lead people?¹⁶
• Why are value-based competencies so needed? ¹⁷
• What new HR policies and practices will be needed?¹⁸
• What new forms of teamwork and intelligent collaboration are needed and why?^{19, 20}
• What are the true needs for, and implications of, lifelong learning?²¹

4. Future Paradigms in the Future of Work

• What will be the new role of women and the feminine mindset?²²
• What is the concept of “Human Uniqueness” and why is it needed? ²³
• How (and why) will educational systems evolve? ²⁴
• What is the meaning of “All-Encompassing work Metamorphosis” and why is it needed^?25
• Why is a genuine transformation of work needed? What are our visions and strategies for transformation? ²⁶

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper has been to awaken the reader to the Future of Work journey that awaits us all. We encourage you to use the reflective questions, individually and in teams, to begin the shared co-creation process of the future that is calling.

About the Authors

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently the president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com) and research professor at Adventere School of Management-Madrid (a strategic partner with Comillas, Deusto and Georgetown Universities). He was the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona). He is a prolific author with over 82 books published on themes connected with managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, wellbeing and resilience.

Dr. Kristine Marin Kawamura is a clinical full professor of management at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA. She teaches the course, Create Your Future, as well as courses in cross-cultural leadership, global leadership, and entrepreneurship. She is also the founder and CEO of Yoomi Consulting Group, Inc., a leadership success and organizational transformation company. The overall purpose for her work is to transform leadership, organizations, society, and individual lives with Care. Her ongoing research addresses three themes: Care; Future of Work; and Social Impact. (See yoomiconsulting.com)

Dr. Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author and global management consultant. He was a senior executive in several global financial organisations, and Invited Professor to some leading business schools like ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy (www.emeritacademy.com) and Managing Director for the Innovation Services at Frei+Raich Ltd in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently, he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society, education, business, and work.

Dr. Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and Partner at the RBL Group (http://www.rbl.net). He has written over 30 books and 200 articles on talent, leadership, organisations, and human resources.

References

1. Dolan S.L., Kawamura K., Raich M., Ulrich D., (2023) The Future of Work: An Anthology, MyEducator (2023 – in press). Authors have equally contributed to this paper, and their names appear in alphabetical order.
2. Many of the papers connected to this trend have been already published in this journal (i.e. Raich et al (2020) The Cyber-Organization and the New World of Work. April: Raich et al (2019) Beyond Collaborative Intelligence we can see a Meta-Mind Society Surfacing and we can Dream of a Ω-Mind. September.
3. Raich & Dolan (2008) Beyond: Business and Society in Transformation. Palgrave-McMillan.
4. Waldinger & Schulz (2023) The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, Simon & Schuster (January)
5. Dolan et al. (2015) Are You – And Your Company – Prepared for The Future of Work in Tomorrowland? The European Business Review, July.
6. This model is based on the extensive work of Prof Dave Ulrich, co-author of this paper.
7. Raich et.al. (2018) Insights into the Transformation of Business in the Cyber-Age, TEBR, March.
8. Raich et al. (2020) Managing By Traction (MbT) Reinventing Management in the Cyber-Age TEBR, November.
9. Forthcoming paper, inspired by Raich et al (2022) The Art of Life Design, Kindai Management Review, Vol. 10.
10. Forthcoming paper by the authors
11. Raich et al, (2018) Op. Cit.
12. Ulrich et al. (2009) The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead by. HBR Press
13. 1Dolan et al (2006) Managing by Values, A Corporate Guide to Living, Being Alive, and Making a Living in the 21st Century. Palgrave- McMillan: Garti and Dolan (2021) Using the Triaxial Model of Values to Build Resilience in a COVID-19 VUCA World, TEBR, January
14. Kawamura and Dolan S.L. (2019) MBSIV: A Framework for Creating a Sustainable Innovation Culture, TEBR, May.
15. Dolan and Hayashi P., (2013) Talenting: Framework and Metaphors for a New Processual Approach to Talent Management, TEBR, May.
16. Ulrich – The 2017 HR Competency Study & What It Means For You. https://tucana-global.com/2017/10/27/dave-ulrich-the-2017-hr-competency-study-what-it-means-for-you/
17. Dolan (2021) The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values. Routledge. McKinsey Quarterly (1994) What is value-based management? https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/what-is-value-based-management
18. O’Donoghue (2021) The David Ulrich HR Model https://www.testcandidates.com/magazine/the-david-ulrich-hr-model/
19. Kawamura and Dolan S.L. (2019) Op. Cit.
20. Raich et al, (2019) Op.Cit.
21. Raich et al (2019) Rethinking Future Higher Education, TEBR, January
22. Kawamura et al (forthcoming )
23. Raich et al (2021) Human Uniqueness at The Dawn Of Intelligent Machines, TEBR, July
24. Raich et al, Op. Cit. 2019
25. Raich, Kawamura et al (forthcoming)
26. Raich, Kawamura et al (Forthcoming)

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Mental health problems, especially in the workplace, have become the current global pandemic that COVID-19 left behind. We are witnessing an increase of 25 per cent in general anxiety and depression worldwide, having an impact of about 12 billion working days lost annually, and costing the global economy approximately US$1 trillion (WHO, 2022). The global prevalence of anxiety and stress is estimated at about 50 per cent for the youngest working generation in the corporate world, the Gen-Z, and about 40 per cent among millennials (Deloitte, 2022). Lastly, 53 per cent of C-suite executives in 11 countries admitted having struggled with mental health problems, especially with anxiety and depression, during the pandemic (Oracle, 2020). Thus, mental wellness has become a priority for the leading global companies and executives in every sector, where real care is focused on the most valuable and strategic resource – their people.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this global context, resilience is emerging as the genuine competitive advantage; it has become a critical element in the face of adversity (Daydov et al., 2010). Resilience has multiple definitions, but a concise one is offered by Wu et al. (2013), who have defined it as “the capacity to adapt successfully in the face of stress and adversity”. The term “resilience” is becoming so persuasive and desired that millions of people are writing about it. A Google search in November 2022 yields 765,000,000 results. In the academic literature, it is used to describe a diverse variety of phenomena ranging from prevention of mental health illnesses to effective adaptation, and rapid retrieval after adverse life experiences. It is also used to explain psychological growth after traumatic life experiences (Rutten et al., 2013).

Resilience is not a static skill. On the contrary, it can be trained through specific cognitive and behavioural practices which can become habits, enhancing the capacity of the individual to face adverse and stressful experiences or environments, such as the current post-pandemic corporate world (Dolan 2023; Dolan & Garcia, 2020; Tabibnia & Radecki, 2018). In this global context, the corporate world faces a real challenge in overcoming this phenomenon. There is an urgency to equip resilience consultants and coaches with effective framework, models, methodologies, and tools to support companies and their executives in battling stress and mental illnesses in the workplace.

In this paper, we present an original framework that applies the latest research in neuroscience and psychology. We borrow and focus on the intersection of neurobiology and cognitive behavioural therapies in proposing an innovative angle to build resilience.

The resilience core rings framework

The framework presented here is formed of six rings, each of which represents a stage and a process. Each ring is composed of three activities and is accompanied by several concrete tools that act in different neural or psychological sub-systems, but which enable the building of resilience. While resilience has been treated as an outcome, a trait, or a dynamic process, our framework is focused on the last of these – the process. It is argued that resilience is a dynamic process which combines skills and external resources to build the capacity to face life stressors or trauma, and recover from them rapidly (see also Happer et al., 2017). From a neurobiological focus, our framework relies on the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) model and processes created by Professor Stephen C. Hayes and his colleagues from the University of Nevada (Hayes et al., 2012). The ACT model has six processes that are applied through behavioural therapy: • Acceptance • Diffusion • Values • Being present • Noticing self • Committed action.

The final objective of the ACT model is to develop psychological flexibility, which is a critical factor in resilience. We further argue that our proposed framework can be applied to individuals, organisations, or even communities. As such, it can promote and sustain resilience and act as a mental health buffer for an employee, a company, or a larger population.

The first ring: consciousness

Emotional self-consciousness, or self-awareness, is a fundamental part of emotional intelligence, extremely necessary and determinant for the effective processing of emotions and their consequences for the individual. Research shows that self-awareness is an important element impacting leadership success (Goleman et al., 2007, 2013). More importantly, studies show that people with low emotional self-awareness are less likely to respond to rising levels of stress, until they succumb to a very high level of it, and disruptive emotional reaction occurs. But for many others, the rising emotional reaction is often manifested in severe signs and symptoms of stress, and emotional recovery takes significantly longer. All in all, this state negatively affects both physical and mental health and obviously impacts the capacity to show resilience (Armstrong et al., 2011). The main problem with self-awareness is that, generally, people are not educated in the recognition of emotion and the neural substrates that underlie emotional arousal, making it very difficult to identify and anticipate emotional stress and its consequences (Dalgleish et al., 2009). There-fore, the conscience process of our framework works on three levels (figure 2).

• Cognitive consciousness: The first level of depth in the consciousness process for building resilience is to educate the client (i.e., executives or other employees) on how the thought processes around their daily experiences may become the origin of their emotions. To overcome it, Fox et al. (2018) argue that the most effective way is through affective neuroscience training. Through cognitive and emotional training, individuals get to clearly identify, in the first place, what kind of cognitive processes they experience, along with their thoughts and, secondly, differentiate what type of emotion they are experiencing, while they achieve a clear differentiation and understanding of the symptoms of each emotion. Right from the first level of conscience, we expose the genetic and epigenetic components of mental health and emotional problems, where we find, for example, that in the case of depression the genetic heritability for women is approximately 40 per cent, and for men 30 per cent (Kendler et al., 2001).
  

Epigenetics is a new emerging concept that explains the possible links between traumatic life experiences or acute life stressors, such as mistreatment in childhood, affect the genome in a permanent way, changing the DNA and its expression and, consequently, the emotions and behaviour of individuals (Park et al., 2019). The cognitive model of depression, for example, shows how the thoughts of an individual are affected by bias produced by previous traumatic experiences, genetic disposition, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, which, together with other variables, form the cognitive distortions that are the starting point of emotions (Disner et al., 2011). Thus, we argue that having a clear understanding of the different mental health problems that individuals can face, and a clear identification of them, together with the cognitive processes that start the emotional process, serves as a solid basis to stablish emotional self-consciousness and offers the possibility for starting to build a robust self-awareness – a key element for anticipation and future regulation of any emotion that the individual can feel. The end result: boosting their resilience.

• Neuroanatomical consciousness: The second level of consciousness is attained by educating people on each of these mental health problems and connecting it to a specific area of the brain, thus increasing neuroanatomic self-awareness (Amen et al., 2011). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), PET, and SPECT scan studies revealed that even though our brain works with several areas interconnected most of the time, there are certain areas of the brain which have higher levels of activity, displayed by more blood and oxygen flow in the specific area when we are feeling specific emotions (i.e., due to certain mental health problems or other reasons). Stress has shown, through the technology of neuroimaging, that the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has higher blood flow when an individual faces stressors (Gianaros et al., 2005). In the context of states of depression and / or fear, the amygdala is the focal point. There was evidence of a concentration of blood and oxygen for depressed people, and a hyperactivity in the region was shown (Siegle et al., 2007). Finally, we wish to add the basal ganglia as an important group of subcortical structures that are directly involved in several psychiatric illnesses. Basal ganglia hyperactivity is also responsible for anxiety (Macpherson & Hikida, 2019). In line with these findings, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies found that areas of the brain have inter-individual volume differences, affecting levels of activity and having a role in psychopathology, such as a bigger amygdala volume as a precursor of depression (Van Heijndhoven et al., 2009).

Neuroanatomical differences between volume areas of the brain of different individuals can also be explained, up to 80 per cent of the variability, by genetic heritability, meaning that each one of us has a unique brain, related to the different levels of activity and different volumes of the areas of our brain, with a significant contribution of genetics (Zhao et al., 2019). One can thus conclude that executives (and employees) who have an awareness of their unique brain and are able to locate the areas of the brain that are affected in every major mental health problem they suffer from can take corresponding conscious action, thereby increasing their level of resilience.

• Neurochemical consciousness: The third level of depth in the conscience process is to elucidate what specific neurochemicals are related to each area of the brain through neurochemical pathways. Considering, for example, the monoamine neurotransmitter system, mainly formed by serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, with different levels and interactions between them. Each has a critical role in the stress response, the generation and control of emotions and behaviours, and stress resilience (Feder et al., 2009).

We also know that neurotransmitter levels have a genetic component, too, and are heritable, besides the possibility of being disrupted in childhood due to traumatic life experiences, as in the case of serotonin (Booij et al., 2015). These three monoamine neurotransmitters are scarce in the brain, transmitted by a few neurons in specific neural pathways, having an enormous impact on mental health and, especially, resilience. A depletion in serotonin is believed to be linked to stress and anxiety, modulating the neural response to stress and mood regulation. A reduction in the level of dopamine is understood to play a significant role in depression, lowering the reward system and its impact on motivation (see also Dolan & Brykman, 2021). Finally, noradrenaline levels influence the fight-or-flight response of the amygdala, dramatically influencing emotion generation, especially stress and anxiety (Lövheim, 2012). Leaving aside the abstract nature of emotions and realising that they are a consequence of a neurochemical process in our brain sets the basis for future interventions focused on neurotransmitter generation, understanding exactly what they are, how they work in our brain, and how their level affects the emotions and, with that, the level of resilience of the individual increases.

When individuals have a clear understanding, through neuroscience education and awareness, of the cognitive and neurochemical processes, and the neuroanatomy that generates and sustains the emotions they are going through, it can dramatically increase emotional awareness and equip them with knowledge that will help them understand, and accept, their cognitive and chemical process in a holistic manner (Tabibnia & Radecki, 2018). Borrowing from ACT therapy, increasing the capacity of individuals, through neuroscience education, to accept their thoughts, emotions, and the bodily sensations that follow them makes it easier for them to face and accept what they are experiencing, and to stop avoiding the negative emotional experience, thus enhancing resilience with full consciousness. In sum, we propose that the first ring of the framework to build resilience is connected to the neuro-knowledge stage via the method of focusing on neuroscience education.

The second ring: construction

Neuroplasticity is the capacity of our brain to improve itself and make changes from a functional and structural point of view. Neuroplasticity can take place as morphological changes, changes in neuronal connectivity, or the creation of new neurons in the neurogenesis process (Fluchs & Függe, 2014). Once executives and / or employees know the thoughts they must battle and, especially, the neurochemistry that follows them, they can focus on the psychological flexibility process, which will act over neuroplasticity, creating new connections and new neural patterns. They also can focus on the practices and habits they must create in their lives to enhance neuroplasticity in the specific way they need, for the areas of the brain they have more active, and the neurotransmitters they lack. The construction process is created using three dimensions or levels of activity, where strong neural capabilities can be built for the brain through neuroplasticity:

• Physical dimension: The first, and critical, dimension of the individual for creating neuronal capabilities through neuroplasticity is the bodily dimension, comprised of three main routines, which are nutrition, exercise, and sleep (Tabibnia & Radecki, 2018). A small change in nutritional habits offers significant changes in the number of amino acids, like tryptophan or tyrosine, that the brain has available to metabolise crucial neurotransmitters for emotional health and, therefore, for resilience, such as serotonin or dopamine (He & Wu, 2020). Secondly, physical exercise promotes the reception of new metabolised neurotransmitters, neuroanatomical changes, and neurogenesis in the hippocampus, enhancing neuroplasticity, improving cognition, resilience, and mental health (El-Sayes et al., 2019). Lastly, the most important routine an individual can take care of, not only to increase resilience but also to improve physical and psychological health, is sleep. Studies show that sleep has a direct impact on mood, the elimination of anxiety, purposeful drive, personal growth and the quality of relationships and emotional connection with others, essential factors for building resilience (APA 2013; Hamilton et al., 2007).

• Mental dimension: After the stage of consciousness, when executives and employees have a clear identification of their destructive thinking patterns and have started the process of neuroplasticity through the physical dimension of the construction phase, the effort in the mental dimension is to overcome unhelpful thinking using tools, such as thought records or guided discovery, among others, to attain psychological flexibility by lowering the credibility of the thoughts and minimising their impact on emotion arousal, building neuroplasticity and resilience (Disner et al., 2011; Hayes et al., 2012).
• Spiritual dimension: The last way of changing your brain that we present in our model is through several spiritual practices proved to lower reactivity to stressors and build higher resistance to negative emotions, increasing resilience. Meditation, for example, has the capacity to lower the physical volume of the amygdala and reduce its reactivity, even when meditators are out of the meditating state. Meditation proves to be an effective habit that promotes neuroplasticity and resilience in a time as short as eight weeks (Leung et al., 2018). Praying, which some people regard as a form of meditation, is proven to activate the reward system of the brain and its dopaminergic pathways, creating a protective effect against depression (Schjodt et al., 2008). Spirituality, understood as a connection to a higher power or as a connection with what is transcendent or sacred, has a direct effect on the quality of relationships, life values, personal meaning, and how individuals cope with stressful or traumatic situations, enhancing resilience (Smith et al., 2012). In addition, it is worth mentioning that spirituality in a work context and especially for leaders makes their leadership role more effective and thus less stressful, and indirectly contributes to higher levels of resilience (Dolan & Altman, 2012).

Individuals suffering from specific mental health problems and having a specific level of activity in their brain areas need specific nutritional and physical interventions for their brains to change in the direction that is needed, by metabolising more or different neurotransmitters and reducing the volume and, consequently, activity of their problematic brain areas. Building the specific neuronal capabilities they need will promote less reactivity to stressors, more emotional management capacity, and more resilience. Lastly, spirituality itself is a powerful source of resilience, especially over a neurochemically and neuroanatomically improved brain.

The third ring: coherence

The third stage of our framework is coherence. From a clear understanding of the basic mechanisms and tendencies of their own brain, and already applying behavioural and nutritional interventions to improve their brain through neuroplasticity, individuals can find themselves and attain a powerful sense of purpose. In the process, they find the meaning of their lives, while enhancing their levels of resilience, preparing the ground for future quick recovery from stressful life experiences, or even maximising post-traumatic psychological growth, which is a distinctive characteristic of resilient individuals (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). In this stage, individuals are directed to dive into their belief system, through a review and re-evaluation of their life experiences, ending with a clear definition of their values, vision, and mission. Accordingly, this objective, the coherence definition stage, is accomplished through the application of three powerful tools that can be applied in personal and corporate settings:

• Values: The first and most important step in the search for meaningfulness in life is to understand our core value system. Values are the DNA of our behaviour and they lead to concrete action. When our values are not congruent with our behaviour or not aligned with our mission and vision, stress is manifested, and the probability of impaired physical and mental health is increased. (Dolan, 2023; Dolan, 2020; Dolan et al., 2006)
• There are many models and approaches to understand values. However, we propose the Dolan 3Es Triaxial model, since it seems to be the most concise and is based on years of research. In addition, the model isility. The three groups of the 3Es Triaxial model encourage the development of values which will help build the capacity to cope with, adapt to, and shape change, and to learn to live in a more balanced way in a VUCA era.

The economic pragmatic group deals with values that direct behaviour in an effective manner, which is instrumental in achieving our goals in life or at work. This group includes values such as excellence, planning, diligence, efficiency, etc. Developing resilience means having transformability as an economic-pragmatic value. Walker and colleagues (2004) and Folke and colleagues (2010) emphasise the importance of transformability in building resilience. They argue that transformability is the capacity to create a fundamentally new system when ecological, economic, or social (including political) conditions make the existing system untenable. This value should be the answer to our need for control and certainty. Instead of trying and failing, controlling, and predicting the VUCA life, which may lead to desperation and the development of “learned helplessness”, we should embrace the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the situation, be creative, and derive a new system. Instead of waiting for our life to “return to normal”, we must transform our way of thinking and see the VUCA world as the next normal.

The second axis in the 3Es Triaxial model is the ethical-social group of values. This group deals with relationships, values that direct behaviours of thoughtfulness, influence, loyalty, tolerance, etc. Developing resilience during a VUCA era means having engagement as one of the top ethical-social values. One main factor in this regard is the critical need for support systems. Research shows that effective support systems can play an important positive role, leading to fewer signs and symptoms of stress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were attempts to replace social support virtually, but unfortunately, while it seems to be effective to some degree, it is not for everyone.

The third axis of values connects to the emotional-developmental area of an individual’s life. Most people do not often consider this value group seriously; they are so busy in the struggle merely to survive that they block the constructive emotional development. The underlying values in this axis are oriented towards constructing a life filled with interest, passion, and creativity, even though this last is difficult to define. For example, creativity in the VUCA world can be viewed as a new sense of coping, adapting, and solving novel problems. In this environment, creativity needs to be viewed out of the box, since it needs to overcome inhibitions, supplant the traditional way of relying on experience, and break away from habitual assumptions and routines. Another value that is important for survival and connected to this axis is vitality. Vitality is one’s conscious experience of possessing energy, enthusiasm, spirit, and aliveness (Ryan and Frederick, 1997). Vitality will bring resilience, since vitality is our psychological survival ally. Through vitality, we intend to create the small pleasures daily and capture the corresponding fulfilling experiences. Vitality can be instrumental and enhance resilience only when it breaks away from yesterday’s world (which no longer exists) and tackles the new VUCA world positively, yet realistically (Garti & Dolan, 2021).

In sum, an understanding of the configurations of the values on which this section focuses can lead to the emergence of a targeted, resilience-based behaviour. We argue that we can move from the abstract theory of resilience to a concrete way of illustrating the value-driven compass. By adopting the behaviours and strategies of highly resilient people, we can create an entire workforce that will become better equipped to face adversity with a positive outlook, recover quickly and contribute in innovative and creative ways to driving value, even in volatile times.

• Vision: The second tool we apply in the coherence process is the corporate or personal vision. A corporate or personal vision is a clear statement that encompasses where the company or the individual wants to be in the long term, in an ideal future where all the strategic objectives have been attained. A vision is fixed and does not change for any reason, and includes a purpose, ambitious long-term goals (Collins & Porras, 1996) and, most importantly, the more aspirational values of the Triaxial model. Audacious long-term goals give employees or the individual the motivation to continue to grow and learn, while catalysing the needed behavioural change, and the purpose gives a sense of transcendence that goes beyond personal or corporate interests and gives a powerful sense of realisation. Besides motivation and transcendence, having clear long-term goals stimulates the reticular activating system (RAS) in the brainstem, which is responsible for our selective attention. The activated RAS guides our brain through the exhausting process of attention, improving our filter of reality, by filtering the inputs we receive and considering what is important to achieve our goals (Garcia-Rill et al., 2013). Including the values in the vision offers the necessary sense of purpose that act as fuel, involving the neural substrates of motivational behaviour in the brain, which keeps the individuals moving ahead with determination and strong will (Berkman, 2018).
  
• Mission: The last element of the coherence process is the mission statement. A clear mission statement is a short and concise summary of the corporate or personal strategy that is applied every day in the progression for attaining the future vision (Collins & Rukstad, 2008). The mission statement gives the key elements that will become the basis of the personal and organisational development plans, including investment and training. The mission is how the vision is accomplished through daily operations, and includes the more operational values of the Triaxial model, offering a sense of purpose fulfilment every day and, hence, an important sense of realisation, undeniably necessary, in daily routines and activities. To execute the mission in an effective way, individuals must use the neural pathways of the executive control of their brains, learning, acquiring new capabilities, and attaining behavioural change to become closer to their future vision every single day (Berkman, 2018).

The fourth ring: command

The fourth stage of our model is emotional command. The methodology applied via the model is a construction of capabilities that generates emotional anticipation and potential emotional equilibrium, before entering the emotional command domain, all for the purpose of making the process of emotional control easier. The first ring, consciousness, gives the individuals knowledge of the specific areas of the brain involved in their emotional tendency. Having a clear identification of the symptoms, the triggers that lead to emotional arousal, and the predictability that arises through the awareness of the symptoms and the tendency, offers the possibility of anticipating emotional reactions and potentially having more control over them. Counterproductive copying strategies like emotional suppression are, in many cases, the consequence of low emotional awareness and may lead to chronic stress and impaired physical health, especially after a traumatic experience (D’Andrea et al., 2011). The emotional control stage is composed of a process of three facets of emotional command.

• Emotional anticipation: After time invested in the first ring, in being aware of the cognitive process, and the emotional arousal that follows, individuals are ready to anticipate their tendency to emotion and the specific emotions that are part of their daily life. Having the capacity of practising self-emotional observation prepares them to regulate the emotions, when they appear, minimising the negative outcome in terms of anxiety or stress or elevated heart rate. Being present in the moment, observing and accepting the emotion that is appearing, and practising mindfulness breathing techniques makes possible the successful anticipation and the further regulation of the emotion, reducing its negative impacts (Arch & Craske, 2006).
• Emotional control: When individuals fail to anticipate emotion, losing the opportunity to successfully regulate its arousal, they get into the domain of emotional control. A useful emotion control technique is reinterpreting the stimulus that is causing the emotion to change the emotional response of the individual. The objective of the technique is to counterbalance the activity of the amygdala by activating the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), reducing the activity of the amygdala and, with it, the emotion (Ochner & Gross, 2005).
  
• Emotional management: Once individuals learn how to anticipate and control their emotions, liberating themselves from adverse emotional reactions and their consequences, building resilience by establishing new neural connections that build resilience (Tabibnia & Radecki, 2018), they are ready to practise positive emotional induction techniques that will have long-lasting cognitive and emotional benefits, due to the recently acquired ability to control emotion. Two emotional management techniques that effectively generate positive emotions in individuals are gratitude and best-possible selves. Individuals start by writing a list of things they are grateful for, once a day for at least eight weeks and, secondly, they write a list of their best-possible future selves. Afterwards, they think vividly about them for at least the same eight weeks. We suggest transforming every value of the individuals into long-term objectives and imagining themselves attaining all of them, one imagination exercise with one value at a time (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). Imagining themselves in a perfect future in which they achieve all their objectives and live according to their core values generates a profound sense of purpose fulfilment and induces a positive mood, while motivating the individuals to continue applying their values, every day, to attain this mental objective that has been established.

Having the capacity of anticipating and regulating emotions, controlling the impulses that emotion may provoke and, lastly, being able to self-induce positive emotions are great tools to protect mental health and develop resilience. Many different techniques are applied at this stage of the model, activating neural pathways between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and strengthening neural patterns that promote psychological flexibility and self-control, lowering the potential negative effects of disruptive emotional expression and enhancing resilience. This stage corresponds to the “being present” stage of the ACT therapy, where individuals use attentional and cognitive control exercises to stay fully present in the here and now, where life happens and when actions can be taken to make the most of it, being present (Hayes et al., 2012). As emotional control is the key to self-leadership, this stage, which we call “neuro-leadership”, represents the fundamentals for extraordinary leadership and personal results.

The fifth ring: connection

The fifth stage of the framework is connection. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have numerous studies that prove how isolation worsened the mental health conditions of millions of people worldwide (Dolan and Garcia, 2019). Nevertheless, even before this global health problem, the impact of loneliness on physical and mental health had been widely studied, with clear results on its consequences for depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation (Leigh-Hunt et al., 2017). Social connection is a promoter of oxytocin, a very powerful hormone that works as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Oxytocin generates trust between individuals in social interactions, while it lowers stress levels, reduces the fight-or-flight response of the amygdala, makes people more generous, and generates positive emotions, among many other benefits associated with social bonding (MacDonald & MacDonald, 2010).

Oxytocin, the affiliative human neurotransmitter in the brain, and a higher meaning generator, plays a significant role in building resilience (Feldman, 2020). Based on this knowledge and built upon a progressive construction through the stages of our methodology, we continue to the application of our framework. The intention is to benefit from the newly built resilience and recently acquired skills, such that the old self-image that individuals used to conceptualise, commonly representing a distorted self-conceptualisation created by long-term sustained cognitive biases, begins to disappear, along with the behavioural consequences of the unregulated emotions. A new self, authentic and noticed through the experience of the present moment and the constant practice of values, begins to flourish with a completely renewed perspective on the world and the self. The connection stage is very important, because the self-image is being transformed by authentically perceiving others through the same cognitive processes, which allows the individual to truly perceive who they really are, caring for others and contributing socially from the new authentically perceived self (Hayes et al., 2012). The connection stage is formed of three facets of social caring behaviour and compromise, where the self-image is newly constructed by putting values into practice and caring for others in the process:

• Contribution: The first level of meaningful connection, including values in action, is contribution. Individuals, especially in corporations, should have the opportunity to identify a social cause that is aligned with their values, to which they can contribute economically. Studies show that pro-social behaviour, even when the giver never meets the recipient, significantly improves well-being (Martela & Ryan, 2006). When individuals act intentionally over their core values by identifying social causes aligned with them and contributing economic resources to these causes, they undergo an immediate improvement in their well-being. This is the current strategy of some of the leading companies globally, focused on offering opportunities to their employees to give back, also aligned with their values, through a preselection performed by their employees, which enhances retention, loyalty, happiness, and well-being.
• Participation: The second level of compromise in connection and meaningful giving back is participation. When the process of helping others takes place personally, especially when the cause in which individuals are participating is aligned with their core values, empathy is established and, with it, generosity is promoted, with the subsequent secretion of oxytocin, building resilience (Barraza & Zak, 2009). In this moment, individuals must be directed to participate personally and physically with their skills, time, and dedication, to a cause aligned with their values. When corporate mission, social cause, and employee values and skills are aligned, a powerful phenomenon takes place, enhancing employee retention, satisfaction, and loyalty towards the business (Bengston, 2020; Dolan, 2020).

• Co-creation: The last level of meaningful compromise and social connection is to use creativity and values for the greater good. When individuals identify their shared values, applying the Dolan 3Es Triaxial model (Dolan, 2020), and create new and unique social programmes in complete alignment with their values, people thrive while adding real and differential value to society and bonding with others with the same higher ethical compass and beliefs, completely changing their physical and emotional states. Creativity and social interaction with a higher purpose, based on shared values applied to help people in need, have the power to help build resilience, elevate purpose, and offer the ultimate sense of transcendence.

Meaningful, and constructive connections, with the clear purpose of applying shared values to leave a pro-social legacy that helps other people with what is best inside us according to our core values, is one of the most powerful combinations to finally build and lock resilience in the dynamic construction process. Oxytocin, the main neurotransmitter involved in the whole process, has a direct effect in serotonin and dopamine systems, two of the monoamine neurotransmitters involved in mental health preservation and resilience. Oxytocin, as a hormone, is secreted by the pituitary gland, positively affecting the activation of the HPA axis in stress response and generating fast recovery from acute stress. Ultimately, oxytocin positively affects areas of the brain involved in fear, anger, and behavioural responses, such as the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (AC), reducing their reactivity and improving the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural reaction and recovery, from trauma (Sharma et al., 2020). Social meaningful connection, the neurotransmitter consequence of it, oxytocin, and the cascade of positive effects that it creates in the brain and in the central nervous system is the key neurotransmitter for building resilience and social connection with purpose, guided by values, is the final and ultimate practice in order to develop it. We call this stage of the model “neuro-creativity”, in which executives or employees apply their enhanced cognitive focus and purposeful strategies to create social solutions that will create and guarantee sustainable resilience.

The sixth ring: commitment

The sixth, and final, ring of the framework is commitment. Even the more groundbreaking and effective frameworks, models, methodologies, and tools are nothing without intentional action and commitment. This stage is completely focused on applying everything that was developed through the model and, more importantly, uses neuroscience principles to create and maintain motivation and drive in the application and repetition of every stage. To attain this objective, the commitment phase is divided into three activities that must be undertaken by the executives or employees:

• Clarify the why: Having a clear reason why the individual wants to build resilience is crucial for the success of the applied model. Once the individuals have this reason why (e.g., be a better leader, become more productive at work, be a better husband or father, leave a legacy, etc.), they can start visualising how their life will be in a perfect future with the newly built resilience, creating what is called a positive emotional attractor (PEA). Imagining vividly how this perfect future will come to happen creates positive emotions that will also contribute to building resilience and generate a strong motivation to pursue that future. On the other hand, having a clear vision of what will happen if the future vision is not successfully achieved will create a negative emotional attractor (NEA), which will also contribute to behavioural change and motivation in order to avoid this future failure (Boyatzis et al., 2015).

• Learn the how: During the whole educational or coaching process, the main objective of the resilience trainer or coach is to allow the individuals to understand, learn, and interiorise all the concepts that form the model. Deeply understanding sets the basis for the neuroplasticity that creates resilience, and we know through studies that learning changes our brains at the cellular, synaptic, and molecular levels, which is recognised to be needed for behavioural change (Sweatt, 2016). There is no sustainable change without the neuroplasticity of learning.
• Apply the what: Once there is a clear why and a learnt how, we propose that action is induced through a clear individual action plan. The final objectives of the action plan are generating intrinsic motivation, by activating the dopaminergic pathways involved, and allowing the creation and maintenance of a growth mindset, due to the activation of overlapping neural pathways and brain areas related to intrinsic motivation. Having a clear action plan and being directed to constant action offers motivation and a growth mindset at the same time (Ng, 2018).
  

The commitment stage of the process places individuals in a constant state of learning and action that gives motivation and makes it possible for them to grow by experiential learning, facing challenges, and overcoming them, with a newly acquired or strengthened growth mindset. Committed action in ACT is also the final stage of the model and, in order to apply it, short-, medium- and long-term goals are established, with the objective of sustaining action and secure the transformation of the participant, and its results (Hayes et al., 2012).

The process described in figure 9 is continuous and must be interiorised as a lasting change in habits, lifestyle, and acquisition and improvement of permanent skills in order for neuroplasticity to continue to virtuously build and renew intrinsic motivation, growth mindset, and resilience. First, a clarification of why resilience needs to be built is undertaken. Then, in the second level, a learning route for the concepts that compose all the rings of the process is designed. Finally, specific actions for the application of every concept are developed and implemented at the third level.

Conclusion

Mental health, especially in corporate settings, is a global challenge that must be addressed. For this objective, effective frameworks, models, methodologies, and tools must be developed and applied. Resilience can act as a protective factor for avoiding issues of poor mental health. Neuroscience and psychology come in handy, as it shows what is happening during prolonged periods of stress and the corresponding potential mental health issues. The resilience core rings model is a process of six stages where some of the most relevant research in the areas of neurobiology and behavioural therapy are applied to build resilience and recover mental health, with no need for any pharmacological intervention. The educational nature of the model and its focus on such key areas as neuroanatomy, neuroplasticity, values, emotional control, social connection, and motivation makes this model very effective. Indeed, it is a life-changing process that guarantees the building of resilience and the enhancement of mental health. We argue that our framework can be applied in every culture or setting, making it a scalable solution to battle the global mental health pandemic (i.e., at the individual level), through organisations, or even larger communities (i.e., urban zones). The application of this educational framework can protect large chunk of a stress-inflicted population and transform the situation towards enhancing resilience and lowering the incidence of mental health issues.

About the Authors

Simon L. Dolan is currently a full professor and senior researcher at Advantere School of Management (www.advantere.org) and president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). He is the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, and before that taught at some leading business schools like McGill and Montreal Universities (Canada), Boston and Colorado (US), and others. He is a prolific author with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, well-being, and coaching. He is an international consultant and sought speaker who delivers conferences in four languages: English, Spanish, French and Hebrew. His full c.v. and more information at: www.simondolan.com His email: S.Dolan@advantere.org

Javier S. Casademunt is a consultant and the director of the Brazilian Branch of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com). He has served for many years as the director for Brazil, and Academic Collaborator of the Strategy and General Management Department, at ESADE Business School. He is the founder and CEO of the Neuromentoring Institute of Florida. He is a visiting professor to several top business schools in Latin America, and an expert in the areas of leadership, mental health, resilience, and performance. He has more than 20 years of successful experience in managing, teaching, and consulting, companies, governments, and top leaders, globally. His email is: javier@.javiercasademunt.com web site: www.javiercasademunt.com

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The co-authors of this article are 30 years apart in age, genetically bonded as biological father and son, and united in making value-driven decisions every day. We communicate even if our values are not always the same. We strive to do what is right for our environments, minds, and biology and maintain our homeostasis. What is the impact of those personal choices down the line? Does the management of our decisions, actions, and response to stressors affect our children and grandchildren?

If you are familiar with the concepts of Managing, Leading and Coaching by Values (Dolan 2011, 2021, and 2023) which emphasise stress and values interaction, you may recall the triaxial model which helps identify and rank individual core values to enhance general well-being and boost productivity (by reducing stress). In diagnosing what is important to you and then finding a way to apply those core values to your daily behaviour, you create an alignment resulting in enhanced mental health and productivity (see also: Garti and Dolan, 2019 and 2021). The rub, as they say, is balancing this with your life/work goals and objectives, which is inevitably easier said than done.

This article is focused on (and sometimes forecasts) possible future events from an admittedly odd (we prefer innovative) perspective connected to the neurobiology of values. Admittedly, some of the newer ideas we present in this paper are speculative. More research is certainly needed to substantiate some of our propositions. We do not claim this research to be exhaustive. Nonetheless we feel there is enough here to present you with this “appetiser” of sorts. Perhaps it can help stir reflection around the ideas of resilience, mental health, and what the future holds.

So, let’s start with the basic assumptions and current practices and gradually move towards new paradigms and the future. Values, Managing by Values, leading by values, and Coaching by Values are dynamic concepts and methodologies. They have evolved dramatically since the first author began his academic journey in the early 1980s (he was the co-founder of ISSWOV, the International Society for the Study of Work and Organisational Values – www.isswov.net). The study of values is in continuous evolution. Values are part of nature. Some claim that if we do not change or even transform our current values, an entire civilisation is at a risk of becoming extinct (Raich, Eisler and Dolan, 2014). If you are creative and innovative, and have genuine concern about the future, you may decide not to wait any further and implement some of the more concrete ideas proposed hereafter immediately.

The neurobiology of values

How do humans develop the values that permit us to classify objects as beautiful or ugly and to judge actions as good or evil? Where are good social conduct and ethical principles grounded? We have long been preoccupied with such questions. Some of the answers may be found in our evolution, specifically in our neurobiology. Recent research suggests that the evolution of human values may be imprinted in the human brain, both in its gross anatomy and in the finer details of its physiology, including brain chemistry. Developments in neuroscience indicate that values evolved as the human brain did, with each affecting the other.

Humans have been pondering the origins of their values for centuries. Until recent times, such issues were primarily the province of philosophers, theologians, sociologists, and historians who studied the universality of, or variations in, specific values across different cultures. Neuroscience and other scientific disciplines are making a more objective and experimental approach possible. The imaging techniques used to display the living brain, for example, allow us to see which areas of the brain are activated when people are manifesting different classes of values. And because the field of neuroscience is expanding to include neurophysiology, neurology, and anatomy, among other areas of science, more tools will likely be available soon to further our understanding of this complicated, vexing, and wonderful issue.

In recent years, several concrete observations have laid the foundation for a neuroscience of values. Brain images of people responding to questionnaires designed to evaluate moral and ethical attitudes show clearly that certain attitudes are associated with certain parts of the brain. We have also learned that specific neurons or neural networks are involved when a person is displaying a sense of empathy. Data from some brain-imaging studies suggest not only that there is a cerebral substance connected with values associated with empathy, but also that it developed by evolutionary selection.

One proposed explanation is that the biological blueprint of human values stems from the “life regulation system”, which is known as homeostasis. All life forms have systems that permit them to maintain biological processes within a range compatible with life. In complex species (like the human), the regulation of life depends on a close interaction between brain systems and body-proper systems and is controlled in effect by a specific collection of well-coordinated brain regions. Life regulation is not automatic; it involves choices and preferences, but at the most basic levels those choices and preferences are made subconsciously. The life regulation system, or homeostasis, is built to achieve certain goals, among them the maintenance of health, the prevention of circumstances leading to death, and the procurement of states of life tending toward optimal function, rather than merely neutral or defective function.

Homeostasis inherently embodies values in the sense that it rejects certain conditions of operation, those that would lead to disease or death, and seeks conditions that lead to optimal survival. Therefore, one can claim that what we call “good” and “evil” are aligned with categories of actions related to ranges of homeostatic regulation. What we call good actions are, in general, those actions that lead to health and well-being in an individual, a group, or an entire community. What we call evil, on the other hand, pertains to malaise, disease, or death in the individual, the group, or the community.

The same can apply to other values, such as efficiency or inefficiency. The inefficient part of the regulatory spectrum is characterised by higher energy consumption, inadequate performance, impediments, and the like. At the dawn of the human values, we presume, objects that were classified as beautiful were associated with efficient states, either because they occurred in life circumstances in which the homeostatic range was efficient or because the objects themselves can cause efficient homeostatic states.¹

Throughout the years of researching and writing about culture, we have insisted that social and relational life is strongly linked to beliefs, values, and attitudes, which are themselves governed by an anatomical substance. This has been studied using brain-imaging techniques. Davidson², for example, found that activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortices of the brain (VMPEC) is greatest in people who are very compassionate and caring. His work also showed the remarkable heterogeneity among individuals in their affective style and values. Viewing Davidson’s work considering the homeostatic theory of values, one can hypothesise that human values evolved along with the species to ensure maximum survival and that these values in turn may have caused cerebral modifications. Is there a relationship between changes in the human frontal brain areas and the emergence of values? A variety of scientific evidence confirms the existence of a neural network that is activated during the exercise of some values (moral, ethical). This network links the prefrontal and medial temporal lobes.

Throughout its evolution, the human brain has acquired three components that progressively appeared and grew one on top of the other, similar to strata in an archaeological site. The oldest (the archipallium or primitive) is located at the bottom and to the back; the next one (the paleopallium) is in an intermediate position; the most recent (the neopallium, also known as the superior or rational) is situated on top and to the front. These are like three biological computers that, although interconnected, retain their types of intelligence, subjectivity, sense of time and space, memory, mobility, and other, less-specific functions.

In 1878, the French neurologist Paul Broca (see section in the History of Neuroscience) called attention to the fact that, on the medial surface of the mammalian brain, right underneath the cortex, is an area containing several nuclei of grey matter (neurons) that he called the “limbic lobe” (from the Latin word limbus, meaning border or edge), because it forms a kind of border around the brain stem. Today the limbic lobe together with certain adjacent deep structures including the amygdala is known as the limbic system. Research suggests that specific affective functions (e.g., some emotions) are developed in this region – such as those which induce females to nurse and protect their toddlers and the playful moods that engender ludic behaviours. Emotions and feelings, like wrath, fright, passion, love, hate, joy, and sadness, which are mammalian inventions, originate in the limbic system.

It is important to stress that all the structures in the brain interconnect intensively. Some contribute more than others to this or that kind of emotion, but no one is by itself responsible for any specific emotional state. The prefrontal area is connected to the limbic region, so when it suffers a lesion, the person loses his or her sense of social responsibility (associated with the limbic system), as well as the capacity for concentration and abstraction (associated with the prefrontal area). When prefrontal lobotomy was used for treatment of certain psychiatric disturbances, the patients entered a stage of “affective buffer”, no longer showing any sign of joy, sadness, hope or despair. In their words or attitudes, no traces of affection could be detected.

Neuroscience, emotion, and values

What is the relationship between emotions, on the one hand, and values, on the other? We claim that emotions are connected to values because they involve appraisals. So, we can even suggest that emotions are correlates of values. The simplest version of this view is the claim that to feel one type of indignation (emotion) is to believe or judge that a situation is unjust; that is, if we believe a situation is unjust, we will become angry when confronted with it. In keeping with this view, one would see a correspondence between the importance a person ascribes to a value and the frequency of his or her emotional experiences related to that value.

Therefore, we would expect to find the following:

Therefore, emotions are triggered by the brain following a sequence involving values. In the triaxial model proposed in Dolan et al. (2016), there is the axis of emotional values. One of the values connected to this that has been studied frequently is empathy. Empathy is a value that allows us to relate to the emotional states of others. This value is critical in regulating social interactions, as it enables an individual to effect social bonding and exhibit care for others. Interestingly, scientists studying empathy in both children and animals have concluded that it is a major ingredient in explaining human and primate behaviour. We see compelling evidence for the strength of the empathic reaction in scientists’ findings that rhesus monkeys refuse to pull a chain that delivers food to them if doing so shocks a companion. These monkeys literally starve themselves to avoid inflicting pain on another.

Using values to manage emotions

Can you imagine a world with no emotions? No happiness, no sadness, no anxiety, no love, no pleasure, no pain, no frustration, no urges… no addiction. Every single one of us simply going about our day, doing whatever it is we are supposed to do (whatever that might be in a world without emotion). Don’t just read this and move on. Take a few minutes to really imagine it. Imagine what your life would be like without emotions. Imagine what your soul would be like without emotions. Consider this, without getting too philosophical: would you even have a soul? There was an inciteful film released in 2002 that touched on exactly this theme (called  Equilibrium, directed by Kurt Wimmer and starring Christian Bale).

Without emotions, you and I would be nothing more than physical bodies and the electrical impulses that produce the energy to run them. All thoughts would be functional. There would be no good or bad. No evil. No hatred. No love. In essence, we would be machines. What makes us human is our emotions. What allows us to experience the wonders of life – as well as the sorrow – is our emotions. Without emotions, not one of us would ever struggle with a single compulsive behaviour. There would be no addiction. Life would be … wonderful? Now, take this one step further. If a life without emotions equals a life without certain behaviours, can controlling these behaviours be reduced to the “simple” task of managing our emotions? When we learn to manage our emotions, we have learned to manage our behaviour.

Is there a hereditary, non-genetic basis of values?³

Over a decade ago (in 2013), the then UK attorney general, Dominic Grieve, provoked a stir in the media by suggesting that some minority communities based in the UK – Pakistani in particular – come from an origin where corruption is endemic. In fact, what he said was that cultural values are inherited.⁴ Experience and science say that observable features (called phenotypes) such as physiology, morphology, skin colour, IQ, etc., are based on inherited DNA, and therefore could be applied to different racial groups. But the question persists as to whether factors such as sociability, mental attitudes, the tendency to crime and corruption (among others) are also innate and inherited, or simply culturally learned, and will disappear over generations as immigrants assimilate and adapt to other customs and practices.

Recent studies have shown that there is a process called epigenetics (these are inherited changes in gene activity that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence) in which conditions experienced by previous generations cause subtle changes in the way genes work. In one famous experiment, researchers trained mice to fear a cherry-like aroma and, despite not meeting the smell before, their offspring exhibited a terror response to a cherry blossom smell versus a neutral smell. It certainly makes one wonder.

There are many similar anecdotes with experience in human beings. Children who have experienced the horrors of wars can go beyond fear of war of other generations. There are also many stories that lead to a common syndrome, called “the second-generation syndrome”, of the Holocaust survivors. Although there is no scientific research that clearly shows the mechanism by which phobias, fears, and other extreme experiences are transmitted through generations, through the transmission of the “memory ” of the experiences of ancestral generations, more and more theories about this are becoming known. Recent research with animals seems to provide “convincing” evidence of the biological transmission of such “memory”, along with associated brain changes, of adult male mice that was evidenced with their children and then grandchildren.

Thus, based on experiments with animals and limited anecdotes of empirical data in humans, it is presumed that both acute traumatic experiences and chronic situations such as living incongruently with your core values can trigger diseases. Moreover, they can also affect the first and second generations through mechanisms of hereditary processes that are not genetically transmitted. Remember that using the term “epigenetic” to describe processes that are not heritable is controversial. Unlike genetics based on changes to DNA sequencing (genotype), changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype of epigenetics have other causes, hence the use of the prefix “epi-” (Greek epí: over, out of, around). If we are talking about animal experiments, we wish to share a classic example. Fearful memories persecute descendants of mice; the genetic footprint of traumatic experiences carries at least two generations⁵. In this experiment, baby mice – and even offspring of offspring – may inherit an association fearful of a certain odour with pain, even if they have not experienced pain themselves, and without the need for genetic mutations. Certain fears can be inherited through the generations, as suggested by a provocative study of the behaviour of mice. The authors suggest that a similar phenomenon could influence anxiety and addiction in humans. But some researchers are sceptical of the findings because a biological mechanism that explains the phenomenon has not been identified. Researchers propose that DNA methylation, a reversible chemical modification of DNA that typically blocks the transcription of a gene without altering its sequence, explains the inherited effect.⁶

And what about human beings? Studies have hinted that environmental factors can influence biology more rapidly through “epigenetic” modifications, which alter gene expression, but not their actual nucleotide sequence. For example, children who were conceived during a harsh famine in the Netherlands in the 1940s are at increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions, possibly due to epigenetic alterations of genes involved in these diseases. A very extensive study of 350 twins (in Minnesota) concluded that for most of the measured traits, more than half of the variation was found to be due to inheritance, leaving less than half determined by the influence of parents, the home environment, and other life experiences.

Based on this evidence, we would like to propose the following hypothesis that occurs for acute reasons (for example wars, concentration camp, etc.), or chronic long-term situations like living in chronic situations of values incongruence:

It ends in triggers through epigenetic changes that can be inherited in up to two generations.

If what we have described so far makes sense, let us conclude by making some tentative propositions:

Honestly, our intuition in response to all these questions / propositions is yes. Imagine the consequences for coaches and other health professionals. Now, if they do good work in diagnosing value incongruence and signs and symptoms of chronic stress, not only will they be helping a coachee/client/patient to overcome their problems and have a better quality of life, but indirectly they are helping their children and the children of their children. Wow! This is heavy stuff!⁷

Conclusion

We often hear older folks becoming nostalgic about the simpler times that they lived in. Life has certainly changed in significant ways compared to even 20 years ago. You may have also noticed mental health becoming a more common concern. This is also an indicator of the changing times. We live in a far more connected world where change is a constant due to globalisation (e.g., COVID-19) and constant innovations in technology.

Turbulence, high demands, and urgency are all characteristics of a VUCA world. This translates to high pressure, stress, and potentially burnout for the individual working and living in a VUCA world. An antidote has been offered, labelled with yet another buzzword: “Agile”.

This is a new phase of human civilisation that we have entered as a global society, for which we look for solutions at the individual as well as the organisational level. And another buzzword is emerging “Resilience”.

But how can we become resilient if the term is connected to our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental states. Living in a VUCA world increases the likelihood that stress will be on the rise and resilience might be even harder to achieve. The latest discovery in neuroscience shows clearly that it might cause epigenetic changes (see, for example: NIH research matters, 2010).

So, what is the new role of mental health professionals in this new landscape? First and foremost, we need to treat people that have clear signs and symptoms of stress. Then we need to refine the tools that will enable not only detecting episodes of acute stress but also measure the “density” of chronic stress⁸. We further claim that reducing value incongruence amongst our core values plays a major part in reducing stress (thereby reducing the likelihood of epigenetic DNA changes) and enhancing resilience (Garti and Dolan, 2021).

At the organisational level a new stream of

consultancy is emerging: resiliency consultants. They help organisations and their leaders develop new competences that are essential. These are leaders that will not add to further toxicity at work, that will enhance a flexible and value-shared culture, and will provide a culture of trust (see: Dolan, 2023). And at the individual level, a new stream of coaches is emerging that helps people overcome and even thrive in a VUCA world by a way of responding to events that controls how they affect us, not the events themselves. Resilience enables the beholder to maintain composure and react calmly to VUCA, by maintaining a positive mindset and ensures, for example, that we optimise the use of dopamine in the establishment of our healthy homeostasis (see: Dolan and Brykman, 2022).

Neuroscience is teaching us that there are a few key areas that make up how emotions work in the brain. Our prefrontal cortex, which exists in human brain, is involved with emotional regulation and decision-making. This is where we store our sense of self, our value system, our self-control. We use the prefrontal cortex to suppress emotions. While all are important, in this paper we stressed the importance of values and the great need to reduce value incongruence as a path to enhance resilience in this generation, as well as in future generations.

About the Authors

Dr. Simon L. Dolan is currently the president of the Global Future of Work Foundation (www.globalfutureofwork.com) and research professor at Adventere School of Management-Madrid (www.adventere.org). He is the former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, and before that taught at some leading business schools like McGill and Montreal Universities (Canada), Boston and Colorado (US), and others. He is a prolific author with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture re-engineering, values, well-being, and coaching. He is an international consultant and sought speaker who delivers conferences in four languages: English, Spanish, French, and Hebrew. His full c.v. and more information is available at: www.simondolan.com

Tom Dolan is an avid student of HR, entrepeneur,  investor, social explorer and currently holds positions as CEO of Paywell and CRO of READY! Computer Corp. His full c.v. and more information is available at: www.tommydolan.com

References

1. See Damasio, A. (pp. 47–56) in: Changeux, J.P., Damasio, A., & Singer, W.J. (Eds.). (2005). Neurobiology of Human Values. Springer.
2. See Davidson, R.J. (pp. 67–90) in: Changeux, J.P., Damasio, A., & Singer, W.J. (Eds.). (2005). Neurobiology of Human Values. Springer.
3. This section is quite speculative. It is a synthesis of Prof. Dolan’s talk at the Expo-Coaching conference in Madrid in 2016, as well as ensuing presentations in a dozen other international conferences thereafter. Remember that the suggestions represent only plausible hypotheses, and these were not studied sufficiently or supported by rigorous empirical research. At the same time, every time we present this thesis, the reaction of the audience is enthusiastic, and it seems that it hit a relevant cord, as audiences concurred with the message. Actually, such feedback was the impetus to writing this paper.
4. See: Dominic Grieve’s comments on British Pakistanis branded offensive | Dominic Grieve | The Guardian
5. See: http://www.nature.com/news/fearful-memories-haunt-mouse-descendants-1.14272 December 2013
6. The important terms to understand are: non-genetic inheritance – occurs when bioactive substances, including hormones, cytokines, and even parental mutations of microorganisms, have an impact on the next generation; it is also called a non-Mendelian inheritance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Mendelian_inheritance); polymorphism – the occurrence of two or more distinctly different morphs or forms; genetic transmission – Mendelian – is inheritance of biological characteristics following the laws proposed by Gregor Johann Mendel in 1865 and 1866, and rediscovered in 1900; genetic alleles – one of several alternative forms of the same gene or same genetic locus.
7. The methodology on how to do that is described in Dolan (2011), Dolan (2021) and Dolan (2023)
8. Density is a term we apply and use in the STRESS MAP tool. It is an algorithm that multiplies the frequency of a sign or symptom of stress by its severity.
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• Bao, Y., Vedina, R., Moodie, S., Dolan, S.L. (2013) “The relationship between value incongruence and individual and organizational well-being outcomes: an exploratory study among Catalan nurses”, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol. 69 (3): 631-41 (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06045).
• Dolan, S.L. (2011) Coaching by Values, iUniverse.
• Dolan, S.L. (2021) The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values: How to Ensure Alignment and Proper Realignment, Routledge – A Taylor and Francis Group.
• Dolan, S.L. (2023 – forthcoming) De-Stress at Work; Understanding and Combatting Chronic Stress, Routledge – A Taylor and Francis Group.
• Dolan, S.L., Brykman, K. (2022) “The Use of Dopamine to Enhance Resilience in a Post COVID-19 Era: Lessons From Recent Discoveries in Neuroscience that Helps Sustain Vigilance and Productivity in Life and Work”, The European Business Review, January.
• Dolan, S., Garcia, S., Richley, B. (2016) Managing by Values. London. Palgrave MacMillan.
• Garti, A., Dolan, S.L. (2019) “Managing by Values (MBV): Innovative tools for successful micro behavioural conduct”, The European Business Review, November.
• Garti, A., Dolan, S.L. (2021) “Using the Triaxial Model of Values to Build Resilience in a COVID-19 VUCA World”, The European Business Review, January
• “History of neuroscience”, History of neuroscience: Paul Broca (https://neuroscientificallychallenged.com/posts/history-of-neuroscience-paul-broca)
• NIH research matters (2010), Stress Hormone Causes Epigenetic Changes, National Institutes of Health (NIH) https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/stress-hormone-causes-epigenetic-changes
• Raich, M., Eisler, R., Dolan, S.L. (2014) “Cyberness: The Future Reinvented”, https://www.amazon.es/Cyberness-Future-Reinvented-Mario-Raich/dp/150

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PART II: Towards A Visionary Prescriptive Transformation of Education

Transformation of education in a world out of balance: where to begin

As our world, processes, and interconnections move faster in ever-more complex ways, people around the globe—whether they live in city towers or jungle huts—have a serious problem with our ability to understand the world we live in. Change is both surrounding us and beckoning us, whether we see it or not. Our language, concepts, and way of thinking are all becoming more and more inadequate in describing the New Reality. Knowledge, once ample for decision-making, is becoming obsolete. We believe we need to envision a new education paradigm that will ensure continual learning and minimum obsolescence of a growing wealth of knowledge. This system must support the development of both today’s and tomorrow’s generations as well as mitigate any inequality and inequity of access for people of all backgrounds, cultures, and income levels, whether they fill roles as knowledge workers or technical, skills-based workers. This latter need has only been heightened with the impact of COVID-19.

Education has always held the key to the advancement of humanity as it has always shaped the development of our own children and future generations. Education prepares people to lead healthy, functioning, and productive lives and work. Beyond serving as the foundation for peoples’ life designs, it also enables individuals and communities to develop, weave, and maintain the fabric of human society.

Our educational paradigms have changed as our societies have changed, their importance growing over time with the recognition that education is needed in order for people of all backgrounds to prepare themselves to work, live, go to college or technical programmes, support their families, and contribute to society.  Since the 1900s, education has evolved to support advancements in transportation, communication, culture, and school settings. Programmes expanded to emphasise primary and secondary education with tertiary education (including post-high-school education resulting in diplomas, undergraduate and graduate certificates, and associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees) for knowledge workers and skilled-trade programmes for non-knowledge workers. Schools became larger, with more people attending. The school year expanded from 99 to about 180 days, with breaks in the summer, spring, autumn, and winter along with days off for important holidays. Most public and private schools outlawed corporal punishment. Public education was expanded with access to new forms of private schools. Delivery changed as well with the advancement of technology and with computers and online systems available to more students around the world. Teachers shifted their role from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side” styles. Some teachers have become much more aware of the need to educate the whole student, adding in courses in mindfulness and heart-based resilience-building in addition to awareness of values, environmental concerns, and caring for people and communities.

There are still problems, however, with our educational system. Many complain about the greater emphasis on “teaching to standards” and “teaching for the test,” using examinations rather than teacher-centered feedback to assess student capabilities. The curriculum has shrunk in many parts of the world, with budget cuts eradicating valuable topics such as arts, music, and physical education. The STEM curriculum is neither equally nor equitably provided to less-advantaged students or non-white students. Many teachers’ depth of knowledge has been decreasing over time, with classrooms growing too large to provide personalised learning in close relationships. Given our times coloured by nationalism and autocratic leadership, some parents use education as a political weapon. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the inequality and inequity in educational quality and access. On the whole, access to quality education is weak in the developing world. In the developed world, the content is becoming less relevant to the requirements of our changing world. The digital divide in classrooms, schools, communities, and societies is only further increasing the chasm between the haves and have-nots around the globe. 

Against this backdrop, the world of work is changing more rapidly than ever before. Communications, AI-based systems, and machines are rapidly taking over an increasing number of working activities and are considered a big threat for employability. As the authors of Solomon’s Code write, “For better or worse, AI innovation has changed the way most of us live and work.”¹

As a result, our educational systems no longer meet our current and future needs. Deep, broad, and rapid change must be immediately undertaken so that people are prepared for the tomorrow that is already disrupting today’s systems. Changes in the educational system, however, have always been slow and reactive rather than proactive and visionary. This is because the education system is one of our biggest (and perhaps the toughest) bureaucracy to confront for several reasons. Its features raise daunting obstacles to change. It is huge in terms of numbers. Reined in by a fixed curriculum, the education system is simultaneously extremely complex, as the curriculum has been defined and/or implemented differently in nearly every school system. In most cases, its finances are dependent on governmental budget allocation. Management at both governmental and community levels is hierarchically oriented in the highest roles.

And where, we ask, is the funding of change? Because the development of AI and its applications offers huge economic opportunities for corporations and their shareholders, innovators, and partners, the funding for these strategies is astronomical in comparison to the funding for the development and deployment of future-oriented education. Private and state investments are eyeing the technological singularity while neglecting, ignoring, or not even identifying that human singularity is equally necessary and valuable—perhaps even more valuable than the technological one, as human beings, not technology, are the core of society, work, and life, our very reasons for being, seeking innovation, and driving productivity. Technology is here to serve human beings and not the other way around. As previously noted, collaborative intelligence (i.e., the collaboration of smart machines and humans) suggests a promising future where technology and humans will work and create together. To keep parity and anything close to a “balance” of power, control, and potential, we need to invest far more in the development of what is considered “unique” for humans. In summary, the future is now. It is urgent to develop the “human uniqueness” aspects of education as a critical element of the education transformation process.  A solid compass is urgently needed to inform, guide, and lead this change process.

New Education Paradigm

“An education system unable to adapt to the speed of innovation in
society is obsolete. An education system that is not preparing citizens to be happy and healthy in the world they live in is worthless.” (Michael Soskil, Educator)²

Daniel Susskind has rightly pointed out that we tend to treat our educational institutions as sacred. This makes them incredibly resistant to any major changes and transformation.³ We have, instead, tinkered at features and functions rather than the underlying paradigm that needs adaptation to fit a transformed world.

As we stand on the precipice of a New Reality, what kind of educational system and curriculum will be required?

Let’s start by changing our views of the scope (time, space, and place) of education. This requires us to extend our focus from educating youth and young adults to educating people throughout their lifetime. Education and work are deeply interlinked, and thus need to be treated as one core life process. Classroom education is already being extended to online and hybrid environments. The role of “teacher” can be extended to “educator,” or roles delineated as coach, mentor, team leader, team member, and “the self as coach.”

Furthermore, we propose a multi-generational, multiple-stakeholder, multi-level, and systemic education model to support the education requirements for the future. Our solution requires intervention and inclusion by governments, business, educational institutions, educators, parents, and members of both older and younger generations. The paradigm needs to be extended from being provided in traditional classroom pedagogies and within limited periods of time to being delivered on an any-to-any basis across the lifetime journey, customized by the learner. The model must be grounded in the reality that education and work are deeply interlinked concepts and practices, which should be treated as one core, life process. 

Our proposed system will educate people at seven levels of lifelong learning and education: the three traditional levels of primary, secondary, and tertiary (graduate) education; plus, four newly proposed advanced levels of postgraduate, post-formal, corporate, and senior education. Taking a lifetime-education approach will enable people to continually grow and change, to respond to environmental change rather than to react to it, so that they are prepared to maintain employability while continuing to contribute in meaningful ways through their work and lives. This is also needed in order to equip people to adapt to new circumstances that arise outside their control in a rapidly disrupting world.

Features of the new paradigm in education include:

• Is based on a lifetime education framework that encompasses all stages of human life and includes both knowledge and technical  workers. (This moves education away from the traditional over-emphasis on content and obsolete concepts.)
• Integrates the four main processes involved in lifetime education throughout the education system:

1. learning, relearning, and unlearning;
2. research, search, exploration, and discovery;
3. design and development; and,
4. deployment. (Of all of these, learning to unlearn is a most critical competency; it is necessary for rapid learning, letting go of system patterns that no longer fit the new reality, and rapid deployment of the new system.) 

• Incorporates adult mentors and coaches as a longitudinal resource that is readily available in most work organisations and communities that can promote deep learning, renewal, and reflection and can extend the talents of older generations into the next generation.
• Leverages both the smart abilities of AI-based machines and human-unique skills, abilities, and competencies.
• Facilitates micro-education, which provides access to experts and expertise—for anyone, at any time, and located anywhere—through micro-modules delivered across virtual platforms, which allows individuals to customise their own “education system of one.”
• Promotes collaboration between people and smart machines, which is needed as both an input to, and output of, deep disruptive change.
• Guides participants to anticipate, define, and live by emerging values of future generations that will become the shapers of the new emerging culture and society at large, accessing the best and most appropriate values transmitted via legacies and tradition.
• Redefines “encompassing education,” which stokes curiosity, the joy of creation, and passion for knowledge as power engines of education at two levels: the development of our unique human abilities and the advancement of our general human intelligence (GHI).
• Meets the unique needs of every individual human being and group by accommodating agility, flexibility, modularity, and customisability.
• Reimagines the future of workforces and environmental needs—proactively, organically, and reciprocally.

These foundations will lead to the development of a new core curriculum that will be offered through all seven phases of the lifelong learning methodology. As a core aspect of these, we propose to create an online-based education model that teaches the unique human competencies to people of multiple generations, accessible across the globe. Over time, this module would be delivered within the standard curriculum offered in primary and secondary school. The curriculum would naturally be developed differently for the different levels of learners. For example, primary, secondary, and senior education requires direct links with the outside world. Higher education, postgraduate, post-formal, and corporate education requires direct links to, and integration with, the work environment and work practice.

Let’s use as an example the building blocks for developing the lifelong learning-oriented curriculum, exploring the building blocks needed at the levels of higher and post-formal education.

Building blocks of higher (tertiary) education

One of the significant dilemmas of today’s higher education system in the developed world is knowing how to prepare the students for the cyber-world without losing either valuable legacies of a centuries-long academic tradition or their own individual capabilities. The developing countries have a double challenge: to deliver education for the uneducated and to make it fit for the cyber-world at the same time. This challenge must be addressed, because it is the students in these institutions who would be entering the workforce within a few years.

As people moving into higher education, students will need to develop generic, cyber-age specific competencies, offered through a “curriculum generale,” in order to thrive as well as to contribute their best in the new reality. Each discipline would customise and apply this curriculum to its specific needs. (Think of this like the relationship between basic and applied science subjects and processes.) The curriculum must also be transdisciplinary in nature, allowing students to achieve several learning outcomes: to develop their own unique cross-disciplinary identity; to deepen their innovatory capacity by working within a collaborative process with people (and machines) across disciplines; to develop disciplinary self-reflection that is both culturally and professionally appropriate; and, to learn and practise reflective judgement and negotiation during the collaborative process. It must also guide students to work across knowledge, technical, cultural, and stakeholder boundaries to facilitate a systemic way of solving complex, wicked, real-world problems.

Higher education also needs a general curriculum that supports all students in developing generic, cyber-age-specific competencies. Each discipline will need to customise this curriculum to its specific needs. In addition, curricula will need to be integrative and transdisciplinary, designed to cross the limits and boundaries of traditional disciplines. The curricula must also focus on  developing unique human competencies so that the greatest strengths of being human can integrate with the greatest strengths of AI-based machines. Additionally, continuous talent development will need to become a core energiser lifelong education, simultaneously integrating talent development and with the deployment models that allow it to be accessible to all. Finally, with more and more people working outside traditional organisations, students will need to be prepared with the concepts, strategies, and skills of entrepreneurship, marketing, career development (especially the development of a personal brand identity), and the “soft skills” of cultural intelligence, communication, negotiations, and resilience-building to be successful in the future reality.

These proposed modules can also be extended into postgraduate education so that the existing workforce, too, is prepared to adapt to changes arising in the cyber age and to be productive. Additionally, these modules can be shaped for appropriate introduction in the primary and secondary education system so that students are learning knowledge, practising skills, and identifying values in their formative years.

Building blocks of post-formal education

Post-formal education is the initial and most important aspect of lifetime learning. This is because people will already be working in jobs that, for the most part, were required, defined, and skilled from past systems, requirements, and mindsets. With the growing requirement for human beings to collaborate with both machines and other human beings, this skill will need to be introduced as rapidly as possible. This capability will soon become a requirement within current and newly-created jobs, needed as a starting point for new jobs and for ongoing employability. Furthermore, organisations tend to invest in technology at much greater levels than human-unique capabilities. This will rapidly expand the need for coaches and consultants to support the learning and practicing of these competencies as well as companies to extend investments to organizational change programs and implementation strategies in order to prepare workers for future success. We therefore propose that the core curriculum be developed and introduced through a joint effort of academia and the corporate world as quickly as possible.

The proposed post-formal education includes several developmental foundations:

Superminds. As described in Thomas Malone’s book Superminds: The Surprising Power of People and Computers Thinking Together,⁴  a Supermind is a group of individual minds who are effective at working together to achieve goals. These “minds” may be provided by human beings and through artificial intelligence. Together, they provide collective intelligence that allows us to imagine and deliver new vistas of human capability and creativity. We are already working with collective intelligence groups through hierarchical companies, global markets, governmental democracies, scientific communities, local neighbourhoods, and other combinations. What’s different with Superminds is that we additionally incorporate artificial intelligence as a collaborative partner in the ever-more, hyperconnected world. Superminds thus represent talented people with large personal and professional networks and connections. Given their simultaneous skills in relationship management, collaboration, and intelligent collaboration (i.e., with machines equipped with AI), Superminds will become informal leaders in their talent domain and in the organisations in which they are employed or with whom they contract. Superminds may become the most precious and valuable assets of these organisations.  Therefore, attracting, developing, deploying, and retaining Superminds will become of the highest importance to organisations.

The value of Superminds consists not only in their extraordinary expertise in their domain of work but also in their connections and personal networks. Superminds will be capable of leveraging their personal expertise, network capability, and work practices within trans-, intra- and intradisciplinary teams and projects. No doubt, they will also play a major role in research and development as well in post-formal education.

Supermind Academy. A variety of Supermind Academies will be developed, each consisting of a selected community of Superminds from different disciplines who will work together on transdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary projects. Most of these projects will address “dream” topics—our greatest challenges, those wicked problems that are too big to be addressed by any one individual person, team, organisation, or nation—and those of greatest global relevance and impact. Operationally, Supermind Academies may by temporary or long-term; they may be utilised by hot groups, within open networks, or by large organisations or institutions that all are seeking to solve problems or create solutions that are cross-border or cross-boundary in nature.

Meta-Mind Academy and Global Meta-Mind Academy. A Meta-Mind Academy is a selected community of Superminds who are in the leading position and at the ultimate forefront of educational development and who are the backbone of the emerging meta-mind society. Exceptional members may become professors at this level. Global Meta-Mind Academies, serving as the hub of the network of Meta-Mind Academies, will serve as the penultimate level of membership level.

Additionally, Meta-Mind Academy certification teams may be used to oversee the learning and development of online education models, securing quality, integrity, and consistency of delivery. Special Academy teams may be used to coach students through the contractual process of developing individualized learning plans. 

Meta-mind society.  A new social pyramid is emerging, one that is being created from the combination of Superminds, Meta-Mind Academies, and Global Meta-Mind Academies. This society will provide both hierarchical and inter-relational pathways for individuals and communities to be educated, to collaborate, and, ultimately, to contribute to a globally connected society and world.

This educational pathway provides new professional and societal development pathways for workers. People may start as apprentices and move along their own customised development path towards Superminds as fellows, experts, masters, and professors. If people change their professions, they can easily step on to a new path as an apprentice.

Beyond post-formal education: towards an all-encompassing approach to lifelong learning

There are four levels of education beyond post-formal education that would provide essential avenues for development in our New Reality: postgraduate education, post-formal education, corporate education, and senior education.

All four levels are required because of two transformative and interconnected mega-trends: the complex, disruptive forces related to future of work (including digitalisation, AI-related technological advancement, and contract employment, among others) and the set of challenges leading us into the “danger zone,” such as degradation of the environment (climate change), racial and social unrest (migration and diversity), the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics, violent political conflicts, and the multi-level, deepening chasm of human and social inequalities and inequities. The proposed transformation of the education paradigm will, in turn, also lead to all-encompassing transformation in science, society, economy, and business and, finally, in work itself.

If education moves from the realm of sacred to mutable, and if we can build one core life process between encompassing education, work, and personal life, then we can envision a new education paradigm. Education will then become the main enabler for the creation and deployment of life values and, ultimately, societal, community, and personal contribution. Rather than being seen as a great divider of people and communities, education will now become a greater equaliser, a systemic tool for building equity across the globe. 

The proposed model (Exhibit 1) describes the symbiotic relationship between education and work. The learner will be educated along a lifelong basis with a curriculum encompassing both technology-based and human-uniqueness-based knowledge, skills, and practices (that are all deployed through work). Work, in turn, presents the ever-changing demands for new learning and for new opportunities for its application. The learner’s life values will serve as the source of purpose for the individual and its parameters for measuring the results and impact of purposeful work and contribution.

As we face the danger zone and the potential crush of its underlying forces and wicked problems that threaten our civilisation and even our existence, we cannot afford to waste the development of any talent. Instead, we need to support the ongoing, lifelong development of whole classes of people who are underserved, and guide them to develop core values and be respected and integrated into the greater collective intelligence network.  This model must therefore be applied to the educational needs of every living human being on the planet, without regard to their status, income level, location (i.e., developed or developing world), race, citizenship, culture, social status, or sexual orientation.

The shared waste of talent  

Simple statistics reflecting underlying biases, discrimination, and prejudice show us how much talent we are wasting today. Additionally, they indicate the opportunity we may gain by releasing the untapped potential of underserved or underrepresented categories of human beings.

• Gender bias: Research shows us that 50 percent of women (female talent) around the world want to leave their job in the next year; 21 percent want to exit within the next two years. Because of the global pandemic, mothers around the globe are in crisis due to the disruption of their work, their home lives, and the mental, emotional, educational, and technological challenges borne by their children. In many parts of the world and in numerous industries, women have been belittled, underpaid, and underappreciated for years if not for their entire lives.

What are we losing? The feminine mindset. A relational, caring worldview. Balance. The unique contributions of individuals who have not been given the opportunity to contribute from their whole selves and experiences. This loss is often generational as children—both boys and girls—are affected by long-term societal and gender-based inequities.

• Ageism with older workers: 64 per cent of older workers say they have experienced ageism; 58% of workers say that ageism begins when people reach 50 years old. Ageism is now the most widely experienced form of discrimination in Europe. Thirty-five percent of Europeans say that they have experienced unfair treatment directed towards them solely because of their age. This is higher than gender (25 percent) and ethnicity (17 percent). Fewer than 1 in 2 people in the 55-64 age demographic are employed. Only 1 in 10 people in the 65-69 age demographic are gainfully employed.⁵ 

What are we losing? Talent. Knowledge. Experience. History. A greater understanding of the context of today’s problems over time, place, and space.  Entrepreneurial ventures. Older workers can become needed coaches and mentors and pass on institutional and historical knowledge.

Additionally, stereotypes of some people born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s are causing some companies to be reluctant to hire anyone under 40.  Those holding these attitudes and stereotypes see young workers as lazy, spoiled, unpredictable, unreliable, and unprofessional. Some employers believe that young workers lack loyalty and will leave their employer once a better opportunity presents itself.⁶ 

What are we losing? Creativity. New perspectives. Youth are incredible, creative problem solvers and view the world from a more current mindset and world view.

Emerging categories of talent

The deployment of lifetime learning may be assessed by measuring the actual deployment of workers at different levels of development. We may see emerging categories, each with new assessment criteria and standards- or rubric-based grades, all of which will inspire people to learn and achieve in their work, as well as deliver a standard of comparison across roles. Here are a few examples:

• Practice masters: people employed in technical/creative fields, such as handicrafts, the arts, technology, engineering, etc.
• Collaboration masters: people with highly developed general human intelligence, also able to collaborate with AI-based machines
• Masters in coaching/mentorship: people able to guide others in development and achievement of capabilities, designated as “senior mastership”
• Superminds: people with a high level of expertise and talent in designated fields, as well as highly connected and networked
• Meta-Mind Academy members (regional, international, global): people able to work collaboratively with Superminds in different disciplines as well as AI intelligence, in order to solve wicked problems and address global challenge

The new core curriculum: unlearning and detaching from the past

The new core curriculum will enable people to develop their unique human abilities, their ability to work with AI-based technology, and their general human intelligence capabilities, within and over a lifetime framework—and all applicable to, and appropriate for, people of all backgrounds and cultures living and working around the globe. This will allow people to see both threat and opportunity in our changing conditions, to overcome the challenges with integrated and appropriate problem solving, and to constantly learn and grow at a pace that keeps up with overall societal and environmental changes. This new global curriculum must meet our shared criteria of human uniqueness, complexity, and diversity, in order to have a positive impact on the entire human population through a process of epigenetics.⁷

To create a new core curriculum, first of all it is necessary that we stare squarely in the face of the “magic mirror” (see Exhibit 2). The “magic mirror” serves as an image of our “reality” that has been created from our own perceptions—all of which are influenced by our prejudices, biases, beliefs, wishful thinking, and expectations.⁸ For the most part, these are all based on prior experiences and our reactions to them; they are stored as patterns in our neurological system. This means that a person may never actually see or interpret people, experiences, objects, or trends for what they really are. One is always influenced by one’s prior conditioning and reactions, all of which are embedded within one’s neural system, which operate in a never-ending, circular pattern to help a person see, control, and operate within the world in such a way that he or she is comfortable. This system makes a person feel safe and have “control.” It provide the instantaneous ability to handle what occurs in the moments of one’s life. These perceptions, however, are all usually based on past experiences and reactions to those experiences.

Our “reality” is our biggest roadblock to finding creative solutions. We tend to see the reality in the way we either want or expect it to be—or, even worse, the way that others want us to see it. The best way for a person to go beyond “my reality” is “deep” exploration of the existing information, knowledge, know-how, experiences, and solutions around the issues that concern them the most. This requires a deep, soulful reflective process that spans exploration of the mind, spirit, emotions, and heart in order to connect with the deepest, most authentic self, which yearns to create. Learning to activate one’s heart intelligence provides a doorway into changing the patterns that are embedded in our brains and neurological systems. This reality transformation process resembles the one that may be used develop actually creative, integrative, and “new” solutions to problems. For both perceptions and creativity, our own experiences often serve as our most critical block to accessing change and true creativity. In order to truly create, one must step away from the rules, systems, and identifications that have served well up until this point and then: step into the creative void; apply new “ingredients” for change”; await new insights; and, then, co-create the new possibilities that are yearning to be born. Exploration on both inner and outer levels allows us to see the reality beyond our own view. It can lead to the reframing of the issue we are looking at. It can transform the way we are seeking, overcoming limiting emotions and thoughts. It can prepare the mind supported by heart-based intuitive and intelligence to ready itself to see, find, uncover, discover, or recover creative solutions.

The new core curriculum: a generic blueprint

The new core curriculum must include education in the areas of both human uniqueness and high tech/virtual cyber knowledge and skills. In Exhibit 3, we present a generic blueprint for this curriculum that will need ongoing adaptation, development, and review by a team of educators and leaders, and then deployment and application in diverse settings and systems.

Within the core curriculum will be a series of integrated yet stand-alone “virtual labs.” Virtual labs are platform-based digital and virtual hubs that provide regional and/or global connection, communication, and collaboration between experts, researchers, R&D organisations, faculty, practitioners, and students associated with a specific field or discipline (for example, social intelligence, artificial intelligence, robotics, neurotech, etc.). The labs additionally incorporate access to relevant publications and relevant industries. They serve as the platform for open innovation and the crowdsourcing of ideas, funds, and solutions that are needed to address the scale of wicked problems that we will continue to face as we move into our new world.

We foresee that the virtual labs will integrate the development of cyber and human uniqueness capabilities. They will also intermix talent acquisition and deployment, life/work design, and design thinking with globally based action research and collaboration skills, social, emotional, and heart intelligence skills, and digital, augmented, virtual, and collaborative intelligence skills. Ultimately, virtual labs will aid in the development of Superminds who learn and grow as whole human beings in their respective fields and communities.

These labs, however, are not substitutes for physical labs. There will always be challenges, connections, and problem-solving initiatives that require people to touch, sense, feel, hear, and see others in reality. The labs will be instruments for building true connection with other people by supporting them to develop productive and thriving interpersonal and social relationships.

A proactive action toward transformation

In order to transform our education system to support the cyber-reality, we suggest that leaders utilize the following core planning principles so that we may proactively co-create the needed paradigm shift:

• Take a systemic view toward education, life, and work. We need to use systemic thinking, for example, by aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals so we are modelling the need to partner with existing institutions.
• Take a holistic, multiple-intelligence, and multi-identity view of human beings. This view shall incorporate mental, emotional/social, spiritual, and physical aspects of people as well as the intersectionality of their personal identities.
• Hold a collective view of human beings and technology. Recognising that human beings create, program, and build technology as well as algorithms, this view recognizes technologies as tools for serving humanity and society and not the other way around.
• Actively design the future. Do this by utilising a future design framework (supported by action research and design thinking techniques) to help us cope with the current world in transformation and the future that is both being designed and revealing itself to us. This will help us create a desired future, limiting the pull towards the future that is either in operation or we would otherwise expect to occur.
• Clearly recognise that challenge of defining the direction for the future while simultaneously taking action to create tomorrow, today. The desired direction will run in parallel with the actions being taken for design. (This is a bit like flying the plane while building the plane.) Follow a managing by traction (MbT) process to guide this process.¹⁰
• Be mindful of cultural transformation. The transformation process and outcomes will  encompass the multi-layered worldview of every individual contributor that has developed over time, including: individual biases, experiences, and deeply held beliefs; shared collective and cultural worldviews and lifestyles; our human relationships with, and within, multiple communities and societies—both with shared and different views and mindsets; our relationship with animals, the planet, nature, and the environment; our learned and transformed ways of behaving, reflection, and changing; and, finally, our individual and shared relationship with the arts, language, history, and projected understandings of sociocultural systems, paradigms, values, beliefs, and attributed meanings.
• Expand responsibility for defining, developing, progressing, learning, and controlling the education system and its curriculum frameworks from the schools (alone) to a collective composed of individuals, schools, specialised organisations, corporations, and collective institutions. New methods for assessing learning performance and outcomes (including progress of skills, abilities, competencies, and talents) need to be created, shifting from sole dependence on examinations to new, measurable devices.

We recommend numerous actions to begin the education transformation process:

1. Develop the new education paradigm and curriculum that views life and work as collaborative and meaningful activities that secure the quality of life. Four elements are necessary:

1. Action 1: Develop the unique human competencies. Launch within primary and secondary school education frameworks.
2. Action 2: Develop the new core curriculum for university-level education that will incorporate generic cyber-age-specific competencies. Each discipline should customise this curriculum to its specific needs.
3. Action 3: Incorporate “talent development” as a core element of lifetime learning. This will require innovative talent development and deployment models being developed and then applied.
4. Action 4: Extend the human uniqueness competencies at the university level in order to prepare students for an uncertain, yet surely fascinating world. 

2. Build a global regulatory agency, grounded in shared life values and based on a shared leadership context that revolves in membership on a periodic basis.

3. Develop Superminds, agencies, virtual labs, etc. that are grounded in shared life values, serving both the needs and aspirations of individuals and the collective.

4. Implement a phased solution for launching the curriculum. Phases I and II will overlap (see Exhibit 4).

5. Develop a resilience-building, stress management programme for students of all lifelong learning levels so that all human beings and teams learn how to manage change, their own inner world, and their interactions with others as well as how to develop as authentic individuals and community members throughout their lives.

Activating essential values in the transformation journey

“When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama

No matter how quickly or even completely we evolve towards a metaverse—including all its many components, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, cyber-intelligence, and digital intelligence—at the core of societies, communities, and human beings is life itself. All at the same time, life is musical, magical, growth-oriented, fragrant, sensual, tragic, beautiful, profane, emotional, spiritual, physical, mental, and creative. Life is both tangible and intangible; it incorporates the known and the unknown. Life gives birth to people and hope. Generative and transitory. What makes life worth living is more than experiencing the artificial, although technology in all its imaginative glory may serve to elevate and make more productive the human experience.

Just as we stand on the pivotal point of utopia and catastrophe, technology, too, stands on the precipice of service and destruction. Technology has the potential to serve the greater good, to aid us in crossing the danger zone and addressing the challenges that threaten our civilisation. If unleashed to its own inherent power and unguided, valueless explosion in applications, technology also has the power to take over our minds and reality, potentially destroying human civilisation in its own quest for birth and survival.

It has never been more important for human beings at every level of society, in every role, and in every community to define their individual and community core values, reaching across borders and boundaries, in relationships and as families, classes, communities, societies, and institutions, and to answer the questions: “What do I stand for?” and “How can I use all my capabilities to serve the higher good, to make the world a better place?”

Values act as guiding stars for people making decisions throughout their lives. They act as energising forces as we define our long-term purposes and life/work. They also serve as bumper guards, forming a set of decision-making criteria as we face challenges and trade-offs in the moments of life.¹¹

The metamorphosis of education will require people to examine two kinds of values going forward: the mega-value of trust and overarching life values.

Trust. Trust (and the confidence to act in trust) is the essence of the life contract we make with ourselves and with each other. It is the belief we have in ourselves, in other people, or in institutions. Self-trust lies at the core of self-confidence, empowers our own certainty of abilities, and supports us to choose and learn from experiences. All healthy relationships are based on mutual trust that develops over time. Trust is also the fundamental condition for co-creating positive, thriving, and generative cooperation, collaboration, and partnership with leaders, companies, and even brands, products, technology, and tools. It is the core, ennobling value that knits together the fabric of society, weaving people together in life and work, helping them to feel safe and that they belong to a group. Trust in a leader allows organisations and communities to flourish, while the absence of trust can cause fragmentation, conflict, and even war.

Building trust, at any of these levels, we all know, takes attention and intention, time and resources. Trust must be earned. If broken or lost, it becomes very difficult to restore. While trust is fragile in nature, an extremely hopeful part of the generative nature of human beings and human relationships is that trust can be renewed, regained, and reclaimed.

Trust is also a dangerous concept. Some people are not trustworthy. Some are guided to serve values that are based on greed or selfishness, used to manipulate, deceive, control, and/or betray others to serve a depraved idea or outcome. People, therefore, learn to trust leaders more by their actions than their words.

Life values. The second kind of values that act as a guiding light for people and every successful organisation, community, and society are “core life values.” These serve as guiding parameters in life and work and help us to define and even measure short- and long-term success. When shared and lived, life values bond people together and define a culture. Over the long term, they can also be used as the foundation for establishing healthy, productive, and meaningful relationships amongst stakeholders, creating trust and bringing tangible benefits to all. Such values underlie sustainability strategies, as leaders of companies and institutions strive to transparently meet goals and deliver outcomes that serve all its stakeholders around the globe.

It is not only the identification of shared life values but also the actual open dialogue that groups use to identify their priorities that empower values as generative and guiding lights. As people talk about what is most important to them, what is essential for their group identity and success, they are co-creating their shared values at the heart level. This process is the essence of collaborative living and loving.

Here is a list of possible core life values that we recommend individuals and groups meaningfully contemplate as they determine their shared purpose and strategies for contributing to a shared planetary outcome:

• Happiness: How can we make ourselves, others, and future generations happy?
• Preservation: How can we preserve a habitable world for future generations?
• Purpose: How can we take care of something valued, valuable, and essential?
• Duty: How can we fulfil meaningful duties?
• Contribution: How can we leave a meaningful legacy and make the world a better place –in the short and long term?
• Creativity: How can we create new knowledge, artefacts, works of art, solutions, and ideas?
• Education: How can we help to educate the next generation?
• Relationships: How can we cultivate the art (and science) of forming meaningful and sustainable relationships and partnerships?
• Talent: How can we develop the talent resident in individuals, communications, organisations, and/or institutions?
• Peace: How can we facilitate peace, kindness, and a commitment to facilitating life (rather than hatred and war) in our world?
• Service: How can we serve others, assist in the healing process, and/or coach others to learn and grow?
• Care: How do we act with care towards others while building care as a resource into our teams, organisations, and institutions?

Creating dialogue and making shared choices surrounding core life values will help to build trust. We propose that teams follow these guiding principles to maximise their shared result for this work: 

• Understand that building relationships is more important than achieving short-term transactions. Without the establishment of good relationships, a transaction will not be sustainable.
• Seek to place purpose before profits in both life and work. Profitability is necessary for the longevity of nations, organisations, and jobs. However, balance out the reciprocal exchange in creating healthy profits with investing resources, achieving results for all the stakeholders, and giving back to society.
• Practise transparency over opaqueness, adhering to principles of conviction and commitment over mere compliance. Great societies and organisations value open, honest communications. They practise doing the right thing over doing what is most expedient, with a commitment to long-term vision, purpose, and results.
• Practise promoting advocacy over apathy. This means speaking and acting with courage and “walking your talk,” often placing the needs of others ahead of your own fear of leading change.   

Conclusions

We all know that education is key to all of our lives. It is the key to civilisation, the heart of human, social, economic, political, cultural, and historical development across the ages. Education also brings meaningfulness to our daily life as it challenges us to grow and to let go of that which doesn’t serve our growth process. It emboldens us to reach for the activities, work, relationships, and values that ground our lives with meaning. Education is necessary for supporting the development of skills, attitudes, and competences that generate rich and healthy families and work environments, both principal and intersecting spheres of our lives. However, neither education nor our educational systems can be taken for granted or remain static in their historical foundations today, especially given the amazing and alarming speed of technology advancement, the new theatres that beckon us (like the metaverse), and the exponential number of connections and networks within which we may operate.

The deadline for achieving the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, is fast approaching. Will we achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030? With the promises achieved and the promises broken from decades of work by countries and the United Nations—including the 1992 Earth Summit and the Millennium Development Goals set at the 2000 Millennium Summit—we have learned that leaders at all levels of institutions and from all walks of life need to envision and then deliver a systemic solution that has the potential to address our interconnected and systemically based wicked problems. We believe that at the very heart of this needed system-wide transformation process is education. We simply must ensure that all children and adults will have access to education—the right kind of education—that will support the equitable development of all people in all facets of human and societal functioning. This will necessarily include their education in human uniqueness capabilities, relational and connection skills (including emotional, social, and heart intelligence), talent development, and digital literacy. This will also include “twenty-first-century (soft) skills” such as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, compassion, empathy, resilience-building and communication. All will be needed to enable people of all ages and backgrounds to contribute while continuing to evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of our burgeoning cyber-reality.

In both Part One and Part Two of this paper, we challenge the bureaucratic logjam that has stunted our educational system along with its very concept and roots.  We argue that we are not doing enough to respect the drivers of societal transformation or to match its speed of change. Talent around the globe is becoming obsolete. Many are neglected or forgotten as the world continues its rapid evolutions and revolutions. Leaders who recognise that now is the time to lead towards a future that is already being created are desperately looking for a renovated educational compass for guidance. It is not easy to find such a compass. However, if we do not even see that we need one, much less be on the journey to envision, find, co-create, and voice it into reality, then the probability for conflicts, disasters, epidemics, and social and economic chaos will only increase.   

In many corners of the world, the topic of education is typically applied to children and teenagers—the learners in primary and secondary education. While supporting this focus, we call for a transformed curriculum and set of new processes in both of our papers to help these students learn to learn and unlearn while also deepening their development of human uniqueness capabilities and digital skills (as well as STEM and liberal arts subjects). We must not stop here. In today’s knowledge-driven economies, which includes nations in both the developed and developing worlds, access to both quality education and talent development are necessary and related components. We argue for systematised lifelong learning to be developed and implemented within all seven chapters of the human journey. Simultaneously, we also argue that all world leaders must embed, invest in, and lead as one voice for this to occur across the globe and at all levels of human identity (individuals, communities, cities, countries, organisations, and institutions). This will be essential in order for us to achieve all 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 (while preparing ourselves for the next set of shared and universal goals we will need to achieve as we move through the century) and to be prepared to live and work, survive and thrive, in a completely new world. 

People of all countries, regardless of their level of health and wealth, their level of technological and cultural development, stand to gain immensely from an improved and transformed education paradigm.  Collaborations between governments, parent and teacher associations, Superminds, Supermind Academies, and all teachers, students, coaches, and mentors must work together to find the best (i.e., the most efficient, effective, constructive, integrative, and intelligent) ways to transform education. Many questions need to be asked. What do we keep? What do we change? How shall we innovate? How will we partner and collaborate? Who will we listen to? Who shall speak? Who shall lead? Who may follow? And, how can we stay hopeful, mindful, heart-filled, and purpose-driven throughout the process? 

As a writing team, we call for action—innovative, envisioning, and inclusive action. We call for the organisation of an Education Transformation Summit, gathering others to pull together to lead the change we both anticipate and fear. We seek to inspire others as well as ourselves to shift out of our comfort zones and ask the tough questions, explore the void of creativity, and enter a heroes’ journey of learning, unlearning, relearning, and returning with the gifts of discovery and transformation. For the first time in history, we are in the unique position of being able to provide education opportunities for all, but only if we pull together. We cannot miss this critical opportunity. The time for change is now. The place for change is here. 

This paper is Part II of two articles presented in sequence under the same principal heading. The subheading is somewhat different for these two parts, and they are very complementary.

About the Authors

Dr Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author and global management consultant. He was a senior executive in several global financial organisations, and Invited Professor to some leading business schools, such as ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy (www.emeritacademy.com), and Managing Director for the Innovation Services at Frei+Raich Ltd. in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society, education, business, and work.

Dr Kristine Marin Kawamura is currently a Clinical Full Professor of Management, Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University (California, USA). She is also the CEO and founder of Yoomi Consulting Group, Inc., a leadership success and transformation consulting company. Her research as well as overall purpose is focused on transforming leadership, organisations, societies, and individual lives with Care—a core resource for creating extraordinary collaboration, authenticity, resilience, and engagement in organisations and unlocking new levels of human, technological, and societal impact.

Dr Simon L. Dolan is currently the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. He was formerly the Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona.  He taught in many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston, and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values, coaching, and stress and resilience enhancement. He has also published over 150 papers in scientific journals.  He is an internationally sought speaker.  His full c.v. is at:  http://www.simondolan.com

Dr Paweł Rowiński is ALLEA Board Member (Polish Academy of Sciences). He holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Warsaw, and doctoral and habilitation degrees in earth sciences with a specialisation in geophysics from the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. Among others, his research interests include mathematical methods in geophysics, geophysical flows, river hydrodynamics, and fluvial hydraulics. Paweł Rowiński has published more than 160 refereed scientific publications. He serves as associate editor for several prominent scientific journals and publications. In 2018 he was elected Vice Chair of the Europe Division Leadership Team of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research IAHR. Since May 2015, he has served as Vice President of the Polish Academy of Sciences (second term in office).

Mr Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he has founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office CC Trust Group AG and also the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG, with its headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company providing strategic, tactical, and operational procurement. (https://chainiq.com/)

Notes and References 

1. Solomon’s Code. Humanity in a World of Thinking Machines, Olaf Groth and Mark Nitzberg, 2018
2. Michael Soskil, the 2017-18 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year in his contribution “A time of unprecedented change”, to the book Teaching in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Routledge, 2018
3. A World Without Work, Daniel Susskind, Metropolitan books, New York, 2020
4. To read more, order the book  or watch video on the theme, see: Superminds by Thomas W. Malone | MIT Center for Collective Intelligence
5. Source: 45 Shocking Ageism Statistics – BrandonGaille.com. Accessed 29 April 2022
6. Source: Ageism Effect on Younger and Older Executives (bluesteps.com). Accessed 29 April 2022
7. The main difference between genetics and epigenetics is that genetics is the study of genes that control the functions of the body, whereas epigenetics is the study of inheritable changes of organisms caused by the modification of gene expression. Genes are the basic units of heredity that pass genetic information over generations.
8. The concept has been developed by Giocama Rizzolatti and his colleagues at the University of Parma, who have undertaken research into what have become known as “mirror neurons.” The early stages of research were received with a fair amount of scepticism but they are now generally regarded as being for real, and they change the accepted view on how perception and cognition work and how empathy functions. Rizzolatti’s work comes out of the brain research that has been mapping the brain and its functions over the last twenty years or so. His discovery, through primate research, is that when an observer sees someone act with intention, not only do they respond perceptively, as revealed by neuron activity, but also as if they themselves were doing the action.  This does away with the old division of perception, cognition, and action as discrete activities.
9. Please see www.yoomiconsulting.com for more information on accessing the power of the heart and positive emotions to transform deeply-embedded neurological patterns (e.g., subconscious emotional memories and associated physiological patterns that lead to unconscious bias, judgments, and negative emotional reactions) and increase inner coherence, resilience, and improved  decision-making.
10. More information in our paper: “Managing by Traction (MbT). Reinventing Management in the Cyber-Age”, Mario Raich, Tomasz Krzeminski, Claudio Cisullo, Simon L. Dolan, and Bonnie A. Richley, The European Business Review, November-December 2020
11. For more on values, read:  Dolan S.L., The Secret of Coaching and Leading by Values, How to Ensure Alignment and Proper Realignment. Routledge, 2020

The post New Outlook, New Educational Curricula And Proactivity appeared first on The European Business Review.

This paper is Part I of two articles to be published in sequence under the same principal heading. The subheading is somewhat different for these two parts, and they are very complementary.

Educators are the co-founders of our future

We are living in extremely disruptive times. Our world, our systems, and our foundations for working and living are out of balance, ready both to implode and explode. We teeter on the edge of collapse of all-encompassing transformation, which calls all leaders to face challenging choices. Do we view these challenges as opportunities or threats? Are we capable of launching the inward exploration, the “heroes’ journey” that is required to change ourselves and then to lead change with others and in our organisations? Do we have the courage to confront the ills and traumas embedded in our previously constructed systems that are now even more fully inflamed by the unleashed forces that are giving us the energy and fuel to truly metamorphose through the chaos of our times? 

What often drives change is a vision of tomorrow that pulls us through the chaos and pain of transformation. However, we as leaders of institutions and organisations have not yet figured out our tomorrow. We may see the impact of today’s changes and our day-after-tomorrows unfolding. Yet, what is our tomorrow? What tomorrow — what paradigms, reality, outlook, systems, and capabilities of tomorrow — will help us create a tomorrow that is fully worthy of human living, human working, human loving, and human flourishing? 

This paper includes two interrelated parts that will be published in a sequence. In both parts, we build on previous articles published in this journal as well as in Kindai Management Review. Our aim is to continue the discussion and create a future that is worthy of living for people around the globe. All in all, we are proposing a new system to support both the disruptive transformation and the organic envisioning of a new world that celebrates humanity and all our innovations, whether they be technological, emotional/spiritual, or heart/brain based. 

The logic for this series is the following. In Part 1, we present the actual and emerging context of our times, labelled the “Danger Zone.” This zone may be considered the void of creation, a place and time of turmoil, upheaval, and loss, which must be experienced and then crossed to reach a new tomorrow. If handled poorly, we may further exacerbate the inequalities, terror, and pain experienced by many across the globe —  the end of the world as we know it. If handled well, we also may face the end of the world as we know it. Yet, could we also gain? What kind of world could we create if people lived from a place of wholeness? If today’s children, teens, Gen Zs, millennials, and leaders were educated, led, and freed to be even more uniquely human? We describe this Danger Zone as being upside down, out of balance, and ripe with potentiality. 

We also offer a profound analysis of human uniqueness, within the greater context of the non-human trends we must grapple with in our current reality, including the fast-developing role of artificial intelligence (AI). We provide a perspective on creating a world and workplaces based on the balance of profit (arising from capitalism) and purpose (arising from values, meaning, trust, and heart intelligence). In addition, we offer an examination of human uniqueness on four different levels: “Me”, i.e., individuals; “We”, i.e., relationships, communities and society; “They”, i.e., human artifacts; and “It”, i.e., the environment and ecosystems necessary for us humans to survive and thrive.¹

In Part 2 (our ensuing paper), we address the role of education (and identify the broad-based need for educators) needed to lead the change we need in our world. One thing is certain: education, as we envision and deploy it today, is outdated. It fails to prepare us and our next generations for the new world. Therefore, this is an urgent call to transform education and to develop a new core curriculum.  The redefinition of education, as we will argue in this article, will become the foundation of an encompassing global educational transformation that must be implemented from preschool through secondary, tertiary, corporate, and life-long learning programmes.  The identification of educators, as well, must expand as, together, we envision the capabilities, relationships, and interconnections needed for global, community, and individual transformation. All leaders must become educators and coaches of others. All individuals must become educators and coaches of self in order to accomplish the external and internal systemic changes we need in order to transform our reality. 

Part 2 also offers a brief analysis of the transformation needed in the economic, sociocultural, business, work, and leadership aspects of organisations, so that the gestalt is more complete, effective, and impactful. Our future is still unfolding, co-created by all who step into the creation process. We view this article as an invitation to all readers to participate in the transformation process, so that we address both the immediate (acute) and chronic conditions we face in the quest to co-create positive transformation in our world today. 

A turning point: will we allow the collapse of our civilisation? Or will we create total transformation?

We stand on the precipice of human and planetary survival and sustainability. Having moved past the binary poles of right or wrong decisions, leaders must clearly face the ramifications of decisions, unprecedented in scope and impact, that were made in the past and are currently destroying human lives and societies. Global threats like climate change, food security, availability of clean water, the COVID-19 pandemic, massive human migration, authoritarianism, polarisation, and even global war are driving entire societies apart, destroying the fabrics that have woven them together for centuries. These forces have caused people around the globe to suffer from extraordinary levels of anxiety, stress, depression, and hopelessness, whether the source of their pain is conscious, unconscious, or existential. Though daunting, many institutions and leaders are rising to the occasion, working individually and in collaboration to meet the lofty ambitions described in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For these to be achieved, however, we need still-greater levels of commitment and collaboration at every level of our world: system, institutional, trans-institutional, community, family, and individual. 

What is most terrifying is to realise that the underlying foundation of many of the destructive forces is human beings themselves. Although human beings are capable of being both sinners and saints, three negative motivational drivers inherent in human nature have prevailed: ² 

• Greed for power, money or dominance over others, which eventually leads to corruption and abuses of power
• Fear of losing acquired wealth, status, or an entitled or privileged position in society (e.g., racial superiority)
• Fundamentalism and hatred of all that is different or strange or that doesn’t fit into accepted norms or images

All three drivers stem from two interrelated economic principles: the illusion of infinite growth and the belief that more is better. These drivers fuel a vicious cycle that is propelled by interlocking disruptive forces and the rising levels of stress, anxiety, and angst that is a defining feature of the human condition. We believe that leaders across systems and disciplines need to pay immediate attention to breaking this circle (within their institutions, organisations, and individual decisions) to change the disastrous outcome towards which we are rushing headlong.

These widespread and unchecked negative emotions and realities, however, are causing people to lose trust in their institutions and the political and economic leadership of their societies. Such a loss of trust within societies is dangerous. They may precipitate a greater meltdown of core human values and a general state of human indifference and the decay of social structures that have evolved through generations of civilisation. They have given rise to totalitarian leaders who promise simple solutions to complex problems, using ideology, religion, and control of mass thought and media to subvert democracy, freedom, safety, and true security. Often, people without a strong sense of purpose or inner self-esteem can be easily seduced by authoritarian personalities because they have lost sight of their own moral compass. This cycle legitimises autocracy and may lead to anarchy. The cycle represents a dying of the old systems that are no longer working, that really have never worked. And it offers a tipping point, a choice point, arising from the recognition that out of death and decay comes transformation that may be energised by the beliefs, practices, and actions of people and communities across the globe. We are at the crossroads of two intersecting paths: the continued spreading hopelessness, despair, and a lack of meaning throughout the population; or the rebirth and flourishing of the “higher” human being, capable of addressing the opposing forces of continuity and change. 

We should always bear in mind that most people tend to notice, perceive, and even believe information when it confirms their opinions and worldview, even when the information is contradictory and the facts do not make sense.  Neural research can explain this. Part of our brain, the amygdala, is wired to see familiar patterns that have developed throughout our lives. These patterns help us to more quickly discern activities occurring in the world around us and to make decisions that keep us safe. These patterns also underlie our biases and judgments we hold in our perceptions of current reality. Stress, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness actually only strengthen the amygdala’s control over our reactions. Depleting emotions and “negative” feelings keep us locked into patterns that have been built in our nervous systems throughout our lives and keep us from being able to access the parts of our brain (higher cortex, etc.) that we can use to be flexible, to make values-based decisions, and to choose a new direction in the moment. It is therefore not a surprise that our biases “rule us,” orienting us to accept information that is consistent with our worldview. Science tells us these cycles can be changed by accessing heart-based tools and heart intelligence. Being conscious of our beliefs and biases can also help us to better screen and absorb information in a more critical manner. Unfortunately, many people have fallen prey to false prophets marketing fear and “dogmatic truth,” even if it is evident (to others) that this information contradicts the facts. The exchange of “truth” for a “promise of safety” seems to have settled more and more around the globe, which has also led to polarisation, scapegoating, and the “cancelling” of people, communities, and societies as well as any ideas different from one’s own.

People can be influenced by, and succumb to, other insidious traps. We can observe a growing number of people following abstruse and fanciful conspiracy theories, often fuelled by social media. Others place nearly unlimited trust and belief in technology, making it appear like a new form of “religion.” Technology is an ever-changing “god”, as the demand for growth, fueled by incremental, disruptive, architectural, and radical innovation (both evolutionary and revolutionary) shakes up our industries, institutions, communities, and individual lives. The advance of the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (robotics, AI, AR, VR, big data, IoT, blockchain, crypto, and the like) has produced a developing scenario in which the service of humanity seems too often eclipsed by the momentum of technology. The Fifth Industrial Revolution, however, if responsibly and ethically developed, may allow human beings and technology to dance together, metaphorically speaking, proactively building a connection between technology and purpose and inclusivity.

We can envision neither the path going forward nor the final outcome of our decisions. Do we choose to create value and serve humanity or do we continue to make short-term decisions based on negative human drivers and further perpetuate economic, political, and social turbulences and increased human, animal, and planetary stress? 

In this paper, we choose to move from the “either-or” strategies and decisions of the past to the “both-and” strategies, decisions, and creative solutions that we need to effectively lead today and tomorrow by exploring the role of education in the transformation process. With this our declared endgame, let’s begin by describing more clearly the Danger Zone in which we are living and operating. 

The Danger Zone: “Either-Or” or “Both-And” Alternative Outcomes

Let’s set the stage by reviewing a precept of economics. Traditional economic theory is based on the notion of trade-offs. Trade-offs are the foundation for understanding opportunity costs, which describe the balancing of factors involved in decisions that involves time, resources, factors of production, and knowledge, which are unattainable all at the same time. For example, a person gives up the opportunity to buy product B because he/she wants to buy product A, as in the standard economic example of guns for butter. Trade-offs are part of the traditional mindset and worldview of business; we must give up profits for purpose, short term for long term, people for technology. Trade-offs set up an “either-or” decision matrix and have led to a Danger Zone that we believe entails the risk of the partial or total collapse of our civilisation.

Moving across the Danger Zone is critical for the survival of people, societies, and the plan. We believe there are alternative pathways leading to different landing zones in our shared future. 

Whatever path we take, everything indicates that we are coming closer to a mega-disruption, which may lead towards a “back to the start” journey for humanity, a near extinction, or even a total collapse in humanity and civilisation. If we are lucky, we may co-create a deep transformation process that leads to both Transhumanism and the shift from Meta-Mind towards Ω-Mind and Encompassing Metamorphosis, creating a completely new world. Most importantly, we are still in the co-creative process of transformation! We still have the opportunity, capacity, and capability to access to our higher-human selves and intelligence to choose the pathway and direction with which future humanity may unfold.

Human Uniqueness and Collaborative Intelligence Revisited

Before we examine how transforming education is necessary for us in order to transform our future, we need to review the concept of “human uniqueness.” Human beings, in many ways, are a unique species that is grounded in nature and the natural, living reality. We have physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional qualities. We are also part of the earth, Gaia, which may simply be seen as a vast self-regulating organism. Human beings are also highly complex biological machines (i.e., living entities that are able to procreate and multiply). We have highly developed levels of consciousness and self-consciousness along with a subconscious that drives our decisions in sometimes mysterious ways. We are capable of introducing a new level of complexity into our already complex world — the capacity to exert purposeful and meaningful change within ourselves and into the fields, relationships, and systems around us. The free will born of consciousness allows people to imagine and to create things which were not there before.

Unlike machines, another aspect of being human is our fundamental identity as relationship creatures, whether they are unilaterally, mutually, and/or multilaterally defined (see Exhibit 1). We have a relationship with our self, which gives us an inner context to our life, an identity within a complete and complex “metaverse” of our self. We also have relationships with other people (e.g., friends, partners, children, families, communities, etc.). In so doing, we are both part of these relationships as well as separate from, and with, them. We are also part of larger communities and societies, again, simultaneously being a member of them while still standing separate within them. Human beings are thus complex creatures with the capacity to be part of an inner metaverse, a collective intelligence, a collaborative intelligence, and an outer context (or greater metaverse).

As human beings, then, how do we create purposeful and meaningful change? We believe that this process must begin with education. Education is the main driver for securing social and cultural continuity and developing unique, mature personalities. Instead of focusing solely on “artificial intelligence” as a stand-alone strategy, we need to begin thinking about artificially  enabled and highly performing, purposeful actions. Remember that all the so-called “smart” and “intelligent” machines are based on algorithms; and all algorithms are developed by human beings who often cannot separate their perceptions from their own deeply seated biases and experiences, all embedded in their neurological systems. Consequently, AI systems perform by mimicking human behaviour described, defined, and directed by human beings. 

Collaborative intelligence, as described in previous papers, is developed when the individual and collective intelligence of human beings is combined with artificial intelligence. It is developed through mass collaboration, exponentially growing when humans and smart AI-based machines work together, which allows it to deliver the best results by leveraging the most appropriate abilities of both sides. When human intelligence and AI is able to leverage collaborative intelligence, combine the collective intelligence of the crowd (through massive crowdsourcing) with the computational power of machines (including IoT, cloud, and virtual reality) in all forms and on a massive scale, we can reach the Meta-Mind. You can think of the Meta-Mind as a joint venture of enhanced human mind and highly smart, advanced AI, the place of “Singularity.”⁷  

Given the human propensity to be in relationships and our constant desire to learn and grow — and when the Meta-Mind lives and acts in our current and not-yet-foreseen multiple realities and hybrid realities — we can envision “superminds” gathering in Supermind Academies, Meta-Mind Academies, and Global Meta-Mind Academies. We would then be able to create a Meta-Mind Society that is dominated by Meta-Minds. There, the Superminds and the highly developed machines are fully connected to the outside world, forging “Symbionts.”⁸ In the Meta-Mind Society, AI-based machines will lead the further development of technology algorithms, tools and systems that are needed for its full development. This may change once the development of AI and AI-based machines is capable of operating completely independently and autonomously from human support and intervention.

This Meta-Mind Society requires a new level of collaborative intelligence that we cannot even imagine today. Furthermore, we have not yet developed the capability to collaborate on such an any-to-any scale. We also need new forms of organisations, new structures, such as digital, virtual, and meta-platforms, core processes, and advancements in new technologies such as  neuroscience, bioinformatics, and cyber-reality for this to occur. 

The overarching purpose of this vision of the future is to create value for all the elements, or stakeholders, involved in its implementation. For this to happen, we need a shared purpose, shared ethics, shared values, a Global Collective Regulatory Board, and individual human beings operating from their highest-human self as often as possible. We have great work to do to create a world in which this is possible, valued, and rewarded. Unfortunately, too many political and business leaders today are rather “top-heavy” in their orientation, mindset, and power. Many are more concerned with their rewards, achievement, and earnings than the needs of the people they lead or the institutions with which they collaborate and partner. Too often, C-level and senior executive meetings are focused on power games, solving problems, or fixing legacy systems rather than taking concrete actions to create value throughout the organisation and its stakeholders, whether they are human- or machine-based. It usually takes a crisis or conflict to shake an executive team from its comfort zone and seek true change.  

 A Necessity: Leaving the Comfort Zone

Why does a crisis or conflict elicit change? How do they motivate people at all levels of institutions and from all backgrounds to move from their comfort zones and actually change?

Research tells us that people resist change. A popular adage says that people would rather die than change. Why might this be true? Over the course of their lives, people become comfortable with behaviours, rules, guiding principles, and values. Their use makes it easier to live and to make decisions, requires less thinking and more built-in, automatic responses. This set of routines builds a box around us, four walls that allow us to be more productive and more efficient as we meet each passing moment without having to weigh or test alternative responses to everything going on around us. These four walls also inhibit our ability to think about, explore, be curious about, or even see something that is new. As long as we continue to receive favourable responses to our behaviours, most people believe they have no reason to change. This becomes one’s comfort zone, one’s baseline operating system, which works simply because it works over a sustained period of time. Additionally, we want to feel good about ourselves. We have all learned effective techniques for retaining a positive self-image. If what we have done has worked in the past, we will continue these behaviours. This desire helps us discredit disconfirming data from the external world, and we are faced with a difficult choice: to reject or to accept its message. Accepting something new may be painful, as we are faced with changing our positive self-image, stepping out of our comfort zone, experimenting, learning something new, changing our behaviour, and accepting our new self-image. 

The opposite way of being in the world over time is to live and work with a learning mindset. Those with a learning mindset hold an attitude that predisposes them to seek out challenge, to be open to new experiences. They are curious, motivated with a constant and intentional need to learn and to grow. In fact, they believe they can and will learn through the experience. 

Research  also shows that leaders with a learning mindset and an intention of gaining something positive from an experience actually experience more growth and development than leaders who don’t hold this attitude. 

Now, enter change in the external world in the form of a crisis or conflict. Or a wholly new disruptive force, like the powerful, even unimagined, onset of artificial intelligence into our comfort zone of leading, running an organisation, interacting with others, building our workplace, and even learning. There are a variety of ways to accept or reject this invitation to transform. Leaders with a learning mindset, seeking to imagine, reimagine, or envision a new tomorrow, have learned to learn, to dream, and to address the fear and stress that naturally occurs with profound invitations to change and then to work to transform others. The transformation process requires courage, reflection, a deep sense of caring and compassion for others, and the willingness to explore and speak one’s truth while moving into collaboration with others.

Let’s further explore the comfort zone and its principal drivers and challenges in light of the risks and potentiality — the possibility of creating a “utopian” or “catastrophic” future  — offered with the advancement of artificial intelligence in our world and work (see Exhibit 2).

Imagine a leader who is an inventor, innovator, entrepreneur — a dreamer of making a difference, leading change, and creating a future worth living, ripe with courage, curiosity, and strong feelings of passion and commitment to create a dream. Her life has multiple aspects, include her working life (in which she performs daily tasks, seeks results, and drives her career) and her personal life (in which family, friends, personal values, spiritual routines, and emotional well-being are valued and sought). In order to create a purpose-driven sense of meaning in her full life, her goals include bringing purpose and well-being into all parts of her life, cultivating a sense of relation, connection, compassion, and care into work, and clear-sighted goals and mindset into her personal life. She is very concerned about the future generations of her family, wanting to move beyond hoping for a positive world to strategically leading the creation of one. She actively seeks to look within so that she develops herself to be capable of envisioning a positive future and thriving future generations as well as out into the community, seeking to address the key issues glaring in society’s reality. 

To make a dream come true, she recognises that capabilities for creativity, resourcefulness, entrepreneurship, and perseverance are required. Additionally, she knows that any kind of change, much less transformation, will move her outside her comfort zone, that place and space in which she feels good, positive, and valuable. She will need to move into a zone of discomfort as part of the process of creating a new comfort zone. Awakened with curiosity, inspired by hope, seeking to alleviate pain (her own and the world’s), dissatisfied with the status quo, external forces of change, disruption, and dark possibilities of current reality, she feels she simply must act to do her part to create a better, more positive world for future generations. 

There is pressure and even fear in such a model with its imploding energies and drivers. Any change leader knows that he or she (and all the people with whom they connect) are critical stakeholders in creating the future. He or she feels the impetus to envision the new, to rally their stakeholders to create a new tomorrow, calling forth courage to hold to a dream and then use innovation, entrepreneurial skills, and gathered resources to make it happen. As Martin Luther King said, “Tomorrow is today!”  The push to speed up and the risk of being too late to address the huge and challenging problems inherent in crossing the Danger Zone can be inspiring, yet also stress-producing. Fear, stress, dissatisfaction, and hopelessness can overwhelm or even paralyse any change leader. What is needed for all leaders is the resources and capabilities to operate their inner lives while supporting external stakeholders to be fully capable of moving into the abyss, through the danger zone and into their new comfort zone with ease. 

What are the keys to success for a leader of change as she anticipates our future world and creates the pathway to get there? Being capable of intelligent collaboration and partnership, where information integration, visualisation, and new modes of sincere and co-creative collaboration will improve business performance beyond our wildest expectations. Reimagining vision and potential, where organisations step away from their past successes and even the systems, rules, and stories that gave them their successes in order to co-create from the perspective of “what is possible?” rather than “what should we do?” Using the foundations of social entrepreneurship as a first light in the dark of anticipatory change. And transforming the foundations of education in a world that is teetering between survival and metamorphosis.

The Metaverse: Its Potential Transformation of our Economy, Society, Work, and Education System

Some futurists and pundits are envisioning and describing our future world as a “metaverse”. This term was originally coined by Neal Stephenson (1992) to describe a future world comprised of a network of 3D virtual worlds in which people can interact, do business, and forge social connections through virtual avatars. The metaverse draws on numerous technologies already in play, including machine learning, blockchain, virtual reality platforms, gaming, 3D graphics, digital currencies, sensors, and VR-enabled headsets. Given how COVID-19 has isolated people and encouraged remote and hybrid work experiences, the metaverse could reshape how we work in four major ways: new immersive forms of team collaboration; the emergence of new digital, AI-enabled colleagues; the acceleration of learning and skills acquisition through virtualisation and gamified technologies; and the eventual emergence of a metaverse economy with completely new enterprises and work roles.⁹   

The metaverse may bring new opportunities for segmentation, supplementing direct-to-consumer (D2C) and business-to-business (B2B) strategies with direct-to-avatar (D2A) approaches. Estimated market sizes may reach as much as $800 billion or $1 trillion in size by 2024, and leverage the current expenditures on gaming platforms for virtual goods, as well as block chain and bitcoin innovations. Commerce may unlock the development of value chains and commerce chains in virtual-to-virtual as well as physical-to-virtual and virtual-to-physical formats.

Within this world, communications, propelled by digital transformation, may lead us to develop an advanced web platform that will promote the sharing of information, data, and intelligence between the machine-to-machine (M2M), human-to-machine (H2M), machine-to-human (M2H) and human-to-human (H2H) interfaces. 

Although the development of a direct interface between human brain and machines has yet to be developed, advances in virtual reality, holograms, 3D technologies, and AI could give us the potential to remotely network a vast array of human brains through machines. These advancements would, of course, impact the production and R&D processes, accelerate “future of work” changes, and increase our demand to metamorphose the education system (see Exhibit 3).

Work is already being transformed by “future of work” forces, such as increasing contract work, digitalisation and virtualisation, lifelong learning, diminishing global talent, and others. In addition to these trends, we believe that we are also witnessing a dramatic transformation in the meaning and purpose of work. Given the level of challenges we face as we step into the Danger Zone, the activities and values of both work and life will be integrated as, together, we use entrepreneurship for social innovation, developing solutions that allow us to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals that address all aspects of sustainability, including climate, water, air, human dignity, and social equality. Such a future represents a call to action by all countries (poor, rich, and middle-income) to promote prosperity, respect life, and protect the plan. They also recognise that strategies need to both end poverty and promote economic growth, while addressing social needs such as education, health, job opportunities, and social protection, and tackling climate change and environmental protection. The need to create solutions in our physical reality, digital reality, augmented or virtual reality, in any convenient place and time, is vast. 

Finally, work and education may become more joyful and fun! Gamification inspires creativity and imagination and supports physical and virtual “building” of products and services. In the metaverse, we may all become builders.

Let’s Imagine a Story: Ina as a Future Supermind

Ina is an introverted person. Quiet and shy as a child, she has always been highly imaginative and full of both curiosity about the environment and a passion for the enigma, the unknown of the universe. From the outside, she appears to live in her own world. As a child, she preferred spending hours with animals instead of other children, filled with empathy towards all living creatures. As a teenager, she was labelled “difficult,” because she was a loner, very focused on her own inner world while appearing to be closed off to interactions with people and situations around her. In school, she was attracted to subjects in the history of science and history of the arts, which she pursued in higher education. She also participated in the first human uniqueness-based “core curriculum.” She was an outstanding student in the “Future Lab,” through which she learned how to develop and deploy her imagination and future-oriented mindset. She became involved in planning for the metamorphosis of education, consciously concerned with the importance of maintaining the humanity of human beings through the development of human-unique capabilities and shared core values. 

She finished her studies right when the Meta-Mind Society was launched. To Ina’s surprise, she was invited to join the Meta-Mind Academy as well as become a member of the Supermind group “Supermind for Future Design.” Ina’s sources of superior uniqueness are her empathy and her imagination with a particularly developed ability to envision the future. Given her interest in the future design of science, she became a member of the Education Certification team in the disciplines of historiography (the study of historical writing) and history of science. Ina was invited to become a member of a Supermind team oriented toward exploring the feasibility of dream projects, such as: Fusion Mind and Ω-Mind; the nano-production factory; time and space engineering; time travel; new energy sources; light speed and beyond; cosmic travel to exoplanets; and the world beyond the elementary particles. She will be invited to become a Symbiont further down the road.  

Conclusions for Part One

Is a world of Superminds, Super Academies, and a possible Singularity far-fetched? Does it feel frightening? Overwhelming? Exciting? Do you long for a stroll in nature, deeply breathing in the clean air and feeling the touch of wind on your skin… or does it perhaps inspire you to step onto the technology-future train with your entrepreneurial spirit and identified core life values?

Here is what we know. The transformation of work and business has been a continual process since the beginning of known history. Technology has continually aided productivity benefits, transformed society, and improved the human condition from the Stone Age period to today. Technology, today, is transforming our world faster than ever, propelling us into great increases in efficiency and opportunity while also exacerbating dangerous side effects: a hyper-speed reality, information overload, extremely high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, and an ever-growing addiction to our screens. For example, the latest research shows us that the rise of cryptocurrencies, aided by AI and blockchain, is moving currency creation from the national to individual levels. Mining bitcoins using blockchain technology, designed to rely on a vast decentralised network of computers, requires a huge level of computing power, and therefore energy use.   The mining of bitcoins in the UK alone uses a similar amount of energy to the entire nation of the Netherlands, with two-thirds of the required energy sourced through fossil fuels, causing a huge negative impact on climate change. 

We also know that education, too, has shifted over time to support changes in society and technology. Though encumbered by bureaucracy and inflexible systems, we also recognise its supreme importance in improving the lives, work, and dignity of people around the world. 

To some, the Metaverse is the future that has already begun. Still others think it a fad, even a pipe dream of the imagination that will never come to pass. To others, it seems like a nightmare being unleashed upon humanity. Clearly, however, we are in a transformation process, one that demands that we face the Danger Zone squarely, standing on the brink of total catastrophe or a great potentiality to step more deeply into questions of humanity and the humane — and to challenge each other to answer the very difficult questions about the relationship between the attributes of human uniqueness and the opportunities and threats offered by the cyber age. 

We may soon see the first multi-hybrid, integrated models of business and work based on human labour, intelligent machines, and virtual activities performed by humans and supported by virtual entities. Collaborative intelligence and cyber-entities are beginning to appear in many aspects of daily life and work. An encompassing metamorphosis is emerging, tipping society, politics, education, science technology, economy, business, and work  

What we also know is that the future has not yet been created. As we read the tea leaves of change in our tea cups of reality, we see the world careening out of its historical comfort zone over the next twenty to thirty years. We clearly see the precipice on which we stand, teetering on the edge of catastrophe and utopia, as we face the looming Danger Zone. We have no choice but to solve the wicked problems that threaten our survivability while walking through the competing economic, political, and sociocultural turbulences and related anxiety and stress levels.

What gives hope is a growing level of awareness of a universal consciousness in worldviews and science. This consciousness is flooding our minds and hearts with new ideas and approaches in almost all the sciences, allowing new technologies to blossom and to bring more spiritual awareness of our lives and work. Simultaneously, we also see that the life objective of many individuals around the globe is shifting towards their individual and collective search for life’s meaning and the prioritisation of life values. This search is universal, part of the individual life design, which flows as a core element of lifetime education and honouring the dignity and contributions of people at all stages of life. Furthermore, human beings are social creatures. For social life to be beneficial to all its members, key principles such as mutual respect and tolerance are needed as they allow for the expression and acceptance of diversity of social and political forms. 

This all leads us to raise a critical question worthy of deep exploration: will technology and all it offers work to serve society and humanity, or will it be a dire weapon of destruction that even more quickly robs us of our humanity and lives?

As leaders of organisations and institutions and members of families and communities across the globe, we must answer this question. We urgently need to prepare interim solutions and work to co-create a future world that is worthy of living and working, one that offers dignity to all people, creatures, environments, and nature across the planet. This is a challenge we raise to governments, business, educational leaders, and to all human beings. For us to answer this question, we need courage, collaboration, a set of shared values, a new educational framework, and great trust operating throughout all our systems.  

We do not wish to use technology to escape reality but to embrace life, employing it with great care and shared values, so that we are able to augment reality with virtual content, experiences, knowledge, and connections that can make life and work more fun, productive, and fulfilling. The technologies of the cyber age offer an opportunity to help people experience a greater connection to loved ones and to human beings around the globe. Although education is not the universal panacea, we know that it is a valuable and essential part of the solution for preparing us for the future of work. Our educational paradigm and curriculum both need to advance to support our exploration of deep-rooted questions about humanity and the humane. Its transformation to include lifelong learning, the honouring of life in all its phases and stages, and to develop what is uniquely human are the gifts of this coming age. Such an education system will also allow us to step into new careers and jobs, expand our talent and those of every human being on the planet, reduce inequality and inequity, and more consciously and responsibly co-create our shared future. If we are not prepared as a global society to work in the future, we face tremendous risk and loss: the loss of jobs and uncontrollable unemployment; the loss of consumers and taxpayers, leading to non-functioning societies; and even the loss of empowered societies, capable of continuity and change. This situation may lead to a growing polarisation of people and greater inequity and inequality that may crack society and lead to social unrest.

We need global regulation by leaders who operate from a place of heart (including connection, community, collaboration, and service) rather than ego and rapacious greed. Such a world will build bridges across the many boundaries and borders that separate us and empower the journey we must face, leading us through, and into, the Danger Zone and into an unforeseen utopia. 

We believe that the guiding force through the chaos and complexity must be fuelled by trust, heart intelligence, and core values that supplement the brilliance of head intelligence and knowledge-intensive innovations. These capabilities will help us untangle the knotted cords of unfettered growth and greed that create the illusion of infinite growth, and the bureaucracy that roots us in traditional systems and paradigms that no longer operate effectively. They will help us build collaborative intelligence between human beings and machines, led by human beings, with machines positively serving society. The one word to lead us through the transformation: the African word “ubuntu,” which means, “I am because we are.” “Humanity towards others.”    

So, What Can We Do?

Manage the transformation… or it will manage and control us. 

We could wait for governments and the corporations to save us from the consequences of the global key issues, threats, and disasters. We could take to the streets, demonstrating for others to undertake heroic action. We could complain, get angry or desperate, resigned to an uncontrollable outcome. We can also choose power in our own lives, take one small step for humankind at a time; change our diet or consumption patterns; reduce our own carbon footprint; avoid littering; choose new packaging alternatives over plastic; take care of the environment; love our children and our community members. 

These are all useful and terribly necessary steps. And we need more. We believe that we can use the power of technology and create community networks or foundations that allow us to leverage the power of focused solidarity. Foundations could be used to finance cyber-cooperatives— local, regional, national, international, or global in expanse. Each cyber-cooperative could tackle a wicked problem of greatest concern and meaning to its members: the preservation of nature and the environment; organic food; climate change; human dignity; inequity of employment and education; women’s rights;  or peace. 

Let us use the twin engines of human-unique capabilities and advanced technology intelligence to launch solutions that capture the beauty and wildly-imaginative aspects of being human beings.

Note: This is the end of Part 1 of our paper.  In the ensuing issue of this journal, Part 2 will discuss the metamorphosis of the education paradigm and curriculum and present a further call to action to leaders of change.

About the Authors

Dr Mario Raich is a Swiss futurist, book author and global management consultant. He was a senior executive in several global financial organisations, and Invited Professor to some leading business schools like ESADE (Barcelona). He is the co-founder and Chairman of e-Merit Academy (www.emeritacademy.com), and Managing Director for Innovation Services at Frei+Raich Ltd in Zurich. In addition, he is a member of the advisory board of the Global Future of Work Foundation in Barcelona. Currently he is researching the impact of cyber-reality and artificial intelligence on society, education, business and work.

Dr Kristine Marin Kawamura is currently a Clinical Full Professor of Management, Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University (California, USA). She is also the CEO and founder of Yoomi Consulting Group, Inc., a leadership success and transformation consulting company. Her research as well as overall purpose is focused on transforming leadership, organisations, societies, and individual lives with Care – a core resource for creating extraordinary collaboration, authenticity, resilience, and engagement in organisations and unlocking new levels of human, technological, and societal impact.

Dr Simon L. Dolan is currently the President of the Global Future of Work Foundation. Former Future of Work Chair at ESADE Business School in Barcelona. Former professor at many North American business schools, such as Montreal, McGill, Boston and Colorado. He is a prolific author, with over 80 books on themes connected to managing people, culture reengineering, values,  coaching  and stress and resilience enhancement. He has also published over 150 papers in scientific journals.  He is an internationally sought-after speaker.  His full c.v. is at: http://www.simondolan.com 

Dr Paweł Rowiński is ALLEA Board Member (Polish Academy of Sciences). He holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Warsaw, and doctoral and habilitation degrees in earth sciences with a specialisation in geophysics from the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. Among others, his research interests include mathematical methods in geophysics, geophysical flows, river hydrodynamics, and fluvial hydraulics. Paweł Rowiński has published more than 160 refereed scientific publications. He serves as associate editor for several prominent scientific journals and publications. In 2018, he was elected Vice Chair of the Europe Division Leadership Team of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research IAHR. Since May 2015, he has served as Vice President of the Polish Academy of Sciences (second term in office).

Mr Claudio Cisullo is a Swiss entrepreneur. During his entrepreneurial career, he founded and established over 26 companies in different business segments globally. He is a board member of several internationally renowned companies. He is the founder and owner of the family office, CC Trust Group AG and also the founder and Executive Chairman of Chain IQ Group AG, with headquarters in Zurich. Chain IQ is an independent, global service and consulting company providing strategic, tactical and operational procurement. (https://chainiq.com/)

References

1. See:  “Rethinking Future Higher Education”, Mario Raich, Simon L. Dolan, Paweł Rowiński, Claudio Cisullo, Courtney Abraham and Jan Klimek, The European Business Review, January-February 2019; “Managing by Traction (MbT). Reinventing Management in the Cyber-Age”, Mario Raich, Tomasz Krzeminski, Claudio Cisullo, Simon L. Dolan, and Bonnie A. Richley, The European Business Review, November-December 2020; “Human Uniqueness at the Dawn of Intelligent Machines”, Mario Raich, Dave Ulrich, Simon Dolan, Claudio Cisullo, The European Business Review, July-August 2021; and “The Art of Life Design”, Mario Raich, Jan Klimek, Simon Dolan, Claudio Cisullo. Kindai Management Review, September-October 2022, vol. 10. 
2. We talk more about these drivers in our books:  Raich M., Dolan S.L. (2008) Beyond: Business & Society in Transformation. Palgrave-MacMillan; and  Raich M., Eisler R., Dolan S.L. (2014) Cyberness; The Future Reinvented, Amazon.com
3. See recent writings and more details in: https://www.shapingtomorrow.com/home/alert/8167288-Social-Futures;  “Survival at stake”, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/survival-at-stake-836631; “What are the biggest threats to humanity?”, Simon Beard and Lauren Holt Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, 15 February 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-47030233; Francesco Basetti, “Environmental Migrants: Up to 1 Billion by 2050”, https://www.climateforesight.eu/migrations-inequalities/environmental-migrants-up-to-1-billion-by-2050/; Sir David Attenborough, “Climate change ‘our greatest threat'”; Matt McGrath, 3 December 2018; Luke Kemp, 19 February 2019, “Are we on the road to civilization collapse?”, http://www.bbc.com/future/columns/deep-civilisation;  “Why catastrophes can change the course of humanity”,  Seth Baum, 9 April 2019, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190408-how-catastrophes-can-change-the-path-of-humanity 
4. “Why catastrophes can change the course of humanity”, Seth Baum, 9 April 2019, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190408-how-catastrophes-can-change-the-path-of-humanity 
5. Mario Raich, Simon  L. Dolan, Claudio Cisullo and Bonnie A. Richley (2019) “Beyond Collaborative Intelligence we can see a Meta-Mind Society Surfacing and we can Dream of a Ω-Mind”, The European Business Review, September.
6. For more information on the concept, see our paper published in this journal: “Human Uniqueness at the Dawn of Intelligent Machines”, Mario Raich, Dave Ulrich, Simon Dolan, Claudio Cisullo, The European Business Review, July-August 2021
7. Singularity may be defined as “a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change.”
8. The MIT Center for Collective Intelligence defines Superminds as “a group of individuals acting together in ways that seem intelligent”. Companies, governments, labour markets, scientific communities, the editors of Wikipedia, and the US economy are all superminds, because they all include groups of interacting individuals that – at least sometimes – seem intelligent. In other words, “supermind” is a short way of saying “collectively intelligent system”.
9. Purdy, M. (5 April 2022). “How the Metaverse Could Change Work”. HBR. How the Metaverse Could Change Work (hbr.org), accessed 2 May 2022.

The post Towards A Visionary Prescriptive Transformation of Education: Part I: New Paradigms, New Reality, and a Distinct Reflection appeared first on The European Business Review.

Introduction

Resilience is an emerging concept in business and psychology.  Its origins are in the school of thought inspired by Seligman and colleagues and the positive psychology movement.¹ The premise of positive psychology is that well-being can be defined, measured, and taught. Well-being includes positive emotions, intense engagement, good relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA). Questionnaires can measure it. Trainers can teach it. Achieving it not only makes people more fulfilled but makes corporations more productive, soldiers more resilient, students more engaged, marriages happier. Seligman even came up with a formula: 

H = S + C + V

Happiness (H) equals your genetic set point (S) plus the circumstances of your life , plus factors under voluntary control (V).  Unlike previous promises of happiness, positive psychology insists it is evidenced-based, using the resources of contemporary social science—surveys, longitudinal studies, meta-analyses, animal experiments, brain imaging, hormone measuring, and case studies. Most recently, Seligman has turned to big data analyses of postings on social media websites (e.g., Facebook). He and his team have created a curriculum of positivity. They have measured the impact of training and the surprising benefits of learned optimism.  The conclusions of positive psychology can validate experience and offer hope, in a sense, that:

• Genetics shape mood and personality, but only in part.
• Human beings can change and improve.
• Moods matter but can be altered by understanding circadian rhythm. 
• Individuals have signature strengths that can be identified and employed.
• Flow moments exist and can be cultivated. 
• Other people matter. 
• Strong social bonds are crucial. 
• Marriage and religion contribute to well-being. 
• Positivity improves health, work, creativity, and relationships. 
• Intrinsic adaptation to both the good and
   bad is useful
• Optimism is a learned skill. 
• Happiness requires effort.
• Happiness is contagious.

And within the stream of research in positive psychology, there is the emerging construct of Resilience, that for many represent the opposite pole of stress – the focus is on positive adjustment to inherent life challenges, resulting in a healthy, productive, and happy self.  Although the construct of resilience has been around for decades, it gathered steam and popularity during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience, though often applied to individuals, is also relevant to teams, companies, communities, and governments.  During the pandemic, organizational resilience was tested, as companies encountered unexpected challenges that necessitated constructive adaptation (structure, processes, contacts with employees, and market creation and penetration).  The rules of the games have changed and those who were unable to bounce back (i.e. demonstrate resilience), for whatever reason, were unfortunately wiped out from the business scene.  The non-resilient attitude of these companies let to their demise, to their extinction.  

In this paper we focus on the essence of  individual resilience, and  more  specifically  approached from the  angle of  neuroscience.  Our aim is to advance  the proposition that some hormones are playing an important role in creating a sustainable resilience. More specifically, neurotransmitters, like dopamine, seem to help spark the chemical messengers that keep us alert and on task. Dopamine in particular, seem to have a biological connection to motivation, focus and resilience.²

The word resilience derives from the present participle of the Latin verb resilire, meaning “to jump back” or “to recoil.” The base of resilire is salire, a verb meaning “to leap” that also pops up in the etymologies of such sprightly words as sally and somersault.  In more clinical terms, resilience is the ability to adapt to difficult situations. When stress builds, or adversity and trauma strikes, you still experience anger, grief, anxiety, and pain, but you are able to keep functioning, sometimes even flourishing because of it.³ The Mayo clinic offers the following tips for becoming more resilient:

Get connected 

Building strong, positive relationships with loved ones and friends can provide you with needed support and acceptance in good and bad times. Establish other important connections by volunteering or joining a faith or spiritual community.

Make every day meaningful 

Do something that gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose every day. Set goals to help you look toward the future with meaning.

Learn from experience

Think of how you’ve coped with hardships in the past. Consider the skills and strategies that helped you through difficult times. You might even write about past experiences in a journal to help you identify positive and negative behavior patterns — and guide your future behavior.

Remain hopeful  

You can’t change the past, but you can always look toward the future. Accepting and even anticipating change makes it easier to adapt and view new challenges with less anxiety.

Take care of yourself

Tend to your own needs and feelings. Participate in activities and hobbies you enjoy. Include physical activity in your daily routine. Get plenty of sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Practice stress management and relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, guided imagery, deep breathing or prayer.

Be proactive

Don’t ignore your problems. Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan, and take action. Although it can take time to recover from a major setback, traumatic event or loss, know that your situation can improve if you work at it.

The concept of resilience at life and at work 

Resilience can be conceived in several ways, including as a stable trait-like difference, a capacity, an outcome, and a process. The trait perspective assumes that some people are inherently more resilient due to their inherent personality, including greater hope and optimistic beliefs. The capacity perspective focuses on the resources that people (e.g., social support) and organizations (e.g., psychologically safe culture) have acquired that enable them to bounce back quickly and more effectively. The outcome perspective focuses on whether individuals demonstrate resilience, in terms of achieving greater performance, cohesion, and/or well-being despite adversities. It focuses on whether one is resilient based on their actions, whereas the capacity perspective considers whether one can demonstrate resilience if and when adversity strikes. Finally, the process perspective captures a combination of these elements, as it focuses on how entities use their capacities to demonstrate resilience.

Common throughout these perspectives is that resilience involves two defining elements – the experience of adversity and positive adaptation despite this adversity.⁴ First, entities must experience adversity to demonstrate and build resilience. Adversity ranges on many continuums, including severity, duration, and predictability, which impacts individuals’ and organizations’ ability to demonstrate resilience. For example, consider the different behaviors and emotions involved in responding to a severe and unpredictable acute event (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic) versus a minor and predictable chronic obstacle (e.g., high work demands). What matters, however, is how people perceive the adversity. Resilient people and organizations view adversity as a springboard for growth and development as opposed to a negative experience that should be avoided at all costs. 

Second, resilience involves demonstrating positive adaptation, such that an individual or organization returns to (bounces back), or even surpasses (thrives), previous levels of functioning.⁵ Positive adaptation may happen instantaneously or take many months to years. It is facilitated by mechanisms of social support, learning, communication, and improvisation, among others. Without positive adjustment, the entity simply succumbs to the adversity or may survive, but with some impairments, and thus did not demonstrate a resilient outcome.

The key role of Dopamine and its connection to resilience

Now, that we understand what resilience entails, we turn to the latest discoveries from neuroscience that explains why some people are more resilient than others. The field of neuroscience places the focus on the role of Dopamine. Dopamine is known as the pleasure-and-reward neurotransmitter. It helps create a feeling of enjoyment and a sense of reward and accomplishment when we get something done. It motivates performance and builds positive habits.

Research undertaken at the Huberman Lab at Stanford University, proposes that Dopamine, in its role as chemical messenger in our brain, has the ability to help us create, stay focused, and complete projects with extreme efficiency.⁶ Huberman has concluded that Dopamine helps us feel more motivated, energized, happy, alert, and in control. It so follows that Dopamine would fuel resilience by stimulating support seeking, persistence over challenges, and positive mood to execute activities.  In a series of videos on Apple Podcasts, which reviews the research on Dopamine consequences, Dr. Huberman and his colleagues presents 14 tools to show how to control dopamine release to increase motivation and focus and reduce addiction and depression. They also explain why dopamine stacking with chemicals and behaviors inevitably leads to states of underwhelm and poor performance. They further explore how to achieve sustained increases in baseline dopamine, compounds that protect dopamine neurons (e.g., caffeine) from specific sources. Finally, they describe non-prescription supplements for increasing dopamine—both their benefits and risks—and synergy of pro-dopamine supplements with those that increase acetylcholine.⁷  

In other words, more and more evidence is showing that we tend to repeat behaviors that cause dopamine to be released. On the flip side, low dopamine correlates with feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and even depression.⁸ Perhaps the bad news, then, is that Dopamine can also play a role in addictive behaviors. Dopamine deficiency can impair our ability to manage stress, focus attention, finish tasks, and maintain motivation.⁹  Other downsides including self-isolation and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.  Researchers have found that, in the long-term, low dopamine levels, or poor dopamine signaling can, result in hand tremors, slowness of movement and even pre-Parkinson’s symptoms.¹⁰

How Dopamine Works in the Brain

Dopamine begins kicking in before we obtain rewards. This is important because it means that its real job is to encourage us to act, either to achieve something good or to avoid something bad. Essentially, dopamine affects how our brain decides whether a goal is worth the effort in the first place.  When our brain recognizes that something important is about to happen, dopamine kicks in.  Researchers have found that dopamine spikes occur during moments of high stress — like when soldiers with PTSD hear gunfire.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University headed by postdoctoral student Michael Treadway and Professor of Psychology David Zald, correlated dopamine levels with resilience by mapping the brains of “go-getters” and “slackers.” They found that people willing to work hard had higher dopamine levels in the striatum and prefrontal cortex — two areas known to impact motivation and reward. Among slackers, dopamine was present in the anterior insula, an area of the brain involved in emotion and risk perception.¹¹  

Similar research from Brown University assessed the role of dopamine in influencing how the brain evaluates whether a mental task is worth the effort by measuring natural dopamine levels while choosing between memory tasks of varying difficulties. More difficult mental tasks were rewarded with more money, and those with higher dopamine levels in a region of the striatum called the caudate nucleus were more likely to focus on the benefits (the money) and choose the difficult mental tasks. Those with lower dopamine levels were more sensitive to the perceived cost, or task difficulty.¹² Next, the participants completed experiments after taking either an inactive placebo, methylphenidate (a stimulant drug typically used to treat ADHD), or sulpiride (an antipsychotic medication that, at low doses, increases dopamine levels). Increasing dopamine boosted how willing people with low, but not high, dopamine synthesis capacity were to choose more difficult mental tasks. 

In sum, the results from these experiments reflected the findings for natural varying dopamine levels. To gain more insight into the decision-making process, the researchers tracked the participant’s eye movement as they reviewed information about task difficulty and the amount of money they would receive. Their gaze patterns suggested that dopamine didn’t alter their attention to benefits vs costs. Rather, it increased how much weight people gave to the benefits once they were looking at them.

How Dopamine Makes You Feel

Dopamine, thus, seems to help us know exactly what we want and how to get it: it helps us access our self-confidence, rational, self-awareness, and our critical thinking. Dopamine also helps us focus intently on the task at hand and take pride in achievement: it enhances our strategic thinking, masterminding, inventing, problem solving, envisioning, and pragmatism. We may feel overly alert or need less sleep than other people. Dopamine also seems to support the following activities:

• Reward and pleasure centers.
• Attention and learning.
• Sleep and overall mood.
• Behavior and cognition.
• Movement and emotional responses.
• Voluntary movement, motivation, and reward.

And here is another interesting angle. It seems that Dopamine also plays an important part in morning wakefulness. Sergio Gonzales and his collaborators report that dopamine inhibits norepinephrine’s melatonin producing effects and shuts off melatonin production in the morning when the brain needs to awaken.¹³ 

Implications

Some research assert that excessive dopamine can lead to excessive risk-taking behaviors and impulsive actions, like reckless driving, shoplifting, violence, or over-control of others.  However, as a person’s neurobiology, brain structure, and genetics will also influence symptoms, two people could have equally high levels of dopamine, but entirely different symptoms may result. This could be due to differences in dopaminergic receptors and how each brain processes the dopamine. Below is a list of some negative symptoms that could stem from high dopamine.

Agitation

Those with high dopamine may feel internally restless and overstimulated. While sufficient dopamine can actually help some people stay calm, abnormally high levels can make a person feel internally nervous and knotted. It may be difficult to sit still for long periods of time.

Anxiety

Some people may feel more anxious when dopamine levels increase in certain parts of the brain. This may be due to dopaminergic receptor dysfunction as well as the specific areas of the brain that experience the dopamine elevations. This is generally why some people with anxiety disorders feel more anxious with dopamine reuptake inhibitors (DRIs).

Cognitive acuity

People call amphetamines “speed” for a reason – it makes their cognition speed up and their mental performance improves. It seems like other people are functioning in slow-motion whereas the user is locked in a state of peak performance. Heightened levels of dopamine are associated with improvements in cognitive function such as memory, learning, and problem solving.

Hyperactivity

Some people become hyperactive (not to be confused with inattentive) when they have high levels of dopamine. The hyperactivity may be a byproduct of constant pleasure-seeking behavior associated with dopamine elevations. High dopamine for some people makes it difficult to sit still (counterintuitive to most ADHD diagnoses).

Insomnia

Excess dopamine may make it difficult to fall asleep, thus resulting in insomnia. Low levels of dopamine are associated with lethargy and chronic fatigue. Drugs that increase dopamine levels in the brain are associated with sleeping problems and insomnia.

Mania

Those experiencing mania or hypomania may be partially fueled by elevations in dopamine. Mania is characterized by decreased need for sleep, feelings of happiness, talkativeness, social behavior, impulse behavior (e.g. shopping sprees), etc. Hypomania is considered a slightly milder version of mania. Both conditions may worsen or become triggered with increases in dopamine.

Paranoia

Those experiencing paranoia tend to have heightened levels of extracellular dopamine in the brain. Those with conditions like paranoid schizophrenia and paranoid personality disorder tend to also have problems with the number of dopaminergic receptors. The paranoia can often be mitigated with drugs that decrease dopamine. Even those without psychiatric conditions can experience paranoia as a byproduct of using certain drugs for the dopamine boost.

Stress and Burnout

Those who experience high levels of stress, such as those associated with a nervous breakdown, may experience boosted dopamine production. This dopamine is produced by the sympathetic nervous system that senses “danger.” Dopamine also initiates the production of adrenaline, leading you to feel extremely alert and less relaxed. Excess stress however is associated with depletion of dopamine or a “burn out.”

Source:High Dopamine Levels: Symptoms & Adverse Reactions, Mental Health Daily

(https://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/04/01/high-dopamine-levels-symptoms-adverse-reactions/)

To the same extent that excess of Dopamine  can trigger in some people adverse effects,  a dopamine deficiency may present as mental challenges like distractibility, lack of follow-through, memory loss or forgetfulness, poor abstract thinking, slow processing speed. Attention issues, like ADD/ADHD, decreased alertness, failure to finish tasks, hyperactivity, impulsive behavior  and poor concentration.

A dopamine deficiency can also contribute to physical issues like low energy, fatigue, sluggishness anemia, balance problems, blood sugar instability, carbohydrate cravings, decreased strength, or digestion or thyroid problems.  Dopamine deficiency can present as emotional challenges like anger, aggression, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, depression, pleasure-seeking behavior, stress intolerance, social isolation, mood swings, procrastination, self-destructive thoughts.¹⁴ 

Depleted dopamine can result in a variety of issue in various systems in the body. Early warning signs are loss of energy, fatigue, sluggishness, memory loss, or depression. Other early symptoms include:

• Hard time self-motivating
• Cravings for chocolate
• Easily distracted
• Shiny object syndrome (easily distracted)
• Not feeling fulfilled when you accomplish a task
• Looking for quick fixes
• Addictive tendencies (Alcohol, drugs, work, exercise, emotional eating, social media, gambling, shopping)
• Having a hard time focusing and staying on task
• Self-sabotage
• Self-isolation
• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
• Feeling tired in the morning
• Having a shorter temper than usual
• Don’t feel like going out but feel good when you do

Can we manage the Dopamine secretion in order to enhance resilience and avoid adverse effects?

In a 2013 article, researchers at Xiamen University, China, reported, “Most studies, as well as clinically applied experience, have indicated that various essential oils, such as lavender, lemon and bergamot can help to relieve stress, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders. Most notably, inhalation of essential oils can communicate signals to the olfactory system and stimulate the brain to exert neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin and dopamine) thereby further regulating mood.”

Inhaling the appropriate essential oils can communicate signals to the olfactory system and stimulate the brain to release neurotransmitters that help regulate your mood. For example, research explained in an article in Current Drug Targets entitled “Aromatherapy and the Central Nerve System (CNS)” found that smelling bergamot, lavender, and lemon essential oils help to trigger your brain to release serotonin and dopamine.¹⁵ 

According to Jodi Cohen, essential oils help balance the dopaminergic system and it include immune modulating essential oils such as oregano, thyme, lavender, rosemary, and lemon.  In an article  labelled “How to Increase Dopamine with Essential Oils”, the authors provide the following explanation:

• Lavender oil seems to promote relaxation and peace. Low dopamine levels cause problems like poor sleep, anxiety and fatigue. Inhaling the calming powdery & flowery scent of lavender oil every day assists in promoting better sleep and decreases anxiety.
• Lemon Oil  seems to boost “feel good” hormones in the body. Some, albeit limited  research , suggests that lemon oil has powerful anti-depressant properties that helps beat the blues!
• Rose Oil  seems  to be a n  anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects.  Some suggest that it also prompts psychological relaxation and improves sexual dysfunction
• Peppermint Oil  seems to  have  a high menthol concentration which helps sometimes relieves high stress levels, agitation and dull moods

Source: https://superfoodsanctuary.com/how-to-increase-dopamine-with-essential-oils/