Nurture Shock

A parenting book like NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman may seem irrelevant to the modern businessman but surprisingly enough the concepts clearified in this book for infants can be clearly translated into health business relationship building.

This book proposes that good sibling relationship building starts before the second child is even born. Parents can groom the eldest children to be a good big brother and sister before they even have a sibling. Having your child experience friendships, playgroups, daycare or the like is where they get practice in equal relationships. Supervisors think of your subordinates (in the most respectful way) as children by providing them with opportunities to participate in healthy team environments, mirror good management behaviors and focus on good behaviors rather than punishing bad behavior. Just as children learn that certain behaviors gain them friendships and certain behaviors lose them employees quickly learn what will get them ahead and what will get them isolated from the team.



The book further describes that share fantasy play truly shows how a child can get along with others. In order to make believe children "must emotionally commit to one another, and pay attention to what the other is doing. They have to articulate what's in their mind's eye and negotiate some scenario that allows both their visions to come alive." Clear communication as described in this example is the key to working together. Work groups should focus on building communication skills to improve efficiency and productivity.

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN…well they weren’t lying. Practice healthy relationship, model good behaviors and communicate clearly and often to play nice with others.

Co-authored by Dawn Gilbertson and IO Psych Girl