4 Phrases That Build a Culture of Curiosity

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4 Phrases That Build a Culture of Curiosity     Curiosity is a powerful practice to infuse into a company’s culture. But managers often limit their definition of curiosity to simply a way to get information. Curiosity, though, can be a more expansive practice — it is a force for connection. We need to move away from “shallow curiosity” and embrace “deep curiosity,” where you unearth stories, values, experiences, and feelings. When conversations go beneath the surface in this way, it can strengthen work relationships, foster a better understanding of yourself as a leader, and help you to navigate conflict or anxiety in the office. Continued here

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Milan Kundera on Animal Rights and What True Human Goodness Really Means     “True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Mankind’s true moral test, its fundamental test… consists of its at… Continued here

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How to Avoid the Churn That Comes with Agility     Leaders today know that they need to be agile — to change direction quickly in the face of changing or uncertain conditions. But a byproduct of agility is churn: The confusion and demotivation that comes from many such pivots. This can cause inefficiency that bogs down innovative projects and strategies. The author advises that leaders instead set and communicate an unchanging overarching goal, while allowing that how they achieve that goal can and will change over time. Continued here

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Leading Change May Need to Begin with Changing Yourself     Behavior change is hard, but it’s a skill leaders who want to succeed amid near-constant organizational change need to develop. By increasing their self-awareness, committing to change, overcoming limiting thoughts, and deliberately practicing new behaviors, leaders raise the likelihood that the change initiatives they’re tasked to lead will be successful. Continued here

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Webinar: How to Make Data Monetization Everybody's Business     Our special report on innovation systems will help leaders guide teams that rely on virtual collaboration, explores the potential of new developments, and provides insights on how to manage customer-led innovation.Our special report on innovation systems will help leaders guide teams that rely on virtual collaboration, explores the potential of new developments, and provides insights on how to manage customer-led innovation.Most leaders see their organization's data as an important asset, but few have robust strategies for converting that asset into financial returns. In their new book, Data Is Everybody’s Business, Barbara H. Wixom, Cynthia M. Beath, and Leslie Owens argue that leaders must make data monetization a core business activity. Continued here

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How much it costs to attend the Burning Man festival     It's not easy – or cheap – to pop up a bustling city from empty desert ground. But that's exactly what happens at the Burning Man festival, held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert.Burning Man started in 1986 at a San Francisco beach with 35 people united by "the pursuit of a more creative and connected existence in the world"; this week, nearly 70,000 people are making their way out of the muddy desert after Burning Man's 37th year. The now nine-day festival has morphed into a massive brand and destination, where so-called "Burners" from around the world build a civilisation together from scratch, complete with art installations, healing camps, inspiring talks and live DJs.  Continued here

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Why surge pricing is coming at restaurants, online retailers and more     Whether it's a Friday-evening flight, a hotel during the holidays or a taxi ride in a downpour, we have all been burned by higher-than-normal prices due to excess demand. Raising costs when businesses are busiest is the norm across the travel industry, for instance – but now, consumers are beginning to see these 'surge prices' in more sectors.In the UK, Stonegate Group, which owns nationwide pub-and-bar chain Slug & Lettuce, announced they would start charging more for beer during peak hours. The trend is spreading. An October survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers from Barclays showed 47% of British people had noticed examples of surge pricing, with 32% seeing an increase in the price of food and drink in pubs and bars during peak times. Continued here

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Crystal Wahpepah's Native American corn thumbprint cookies     Corn is the lifeblood of many Native American communities. It has been at the heart of many Indigenous cultures throughout the Americas for over 3,000 years. It's not just sustenance; it's a sacred plant that holds deep meaning. Among indigenous North American tribes, the Corn Mother is a maternal figure who is believed to be responsible for the origin of corn, and the first to give her people instructions on how to grow it. It is the American Indians who taught Europeans to grow, harvest and use corn in their diets, thus introducing the grain to a new continent when they brought it back home."When it comes to corn," said Crystal Wahpepah, the owner and head chef of Wahpepah's Kitchen in Oakland, California, "it's such an honour to still have it after all these [centuries], how strong it still is [in our community]." Continued here

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The Beatles' 'final' record: Should we bring singers back from the dead?     "I think we're actually on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying… it's an alien life form." When Bowie voiced these thoughts in a 1999 interview, he was greeting the creative dawn – or potential cataclysm – of the digital age. His words seem even more spookily resonant several years after his death (the Starman left this world in 2016). The music industry remains in a state of flux, and tech continues to connect realms – and maybe even raise the voices of long-departed singers.More like this: - Paul McCartney's unseen photographs - James Bond and The Beatles - The Beatles' greatest album Continued here

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How Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury group unbuttoned Britain     "Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than merely to keep us warm. They change our view of the world and the world's view of us." So wrote Virginia Woolf in her 1928 novel Orlando, about a young nobleman who lives for several centuries, changing sex along the way.More like this: – The book that changed how we see Virginia Woolf – The rock 'n' roll bohemians who shocked the Victorians – The jacket that symbolises Britishness Continued here

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The wildfires that led to mass extinction: a warning from California's Ice Age history - podcast     Associate Curator, La Brea Tar Pits; Adjunct Faculty, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles In recent years, Californians have had to deal with some deadly and destructive wildfires. But in fact, this part of the western United States has been shaped by fire for millennia. Continued here

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Kristallnacht, 85 years ago, marks the point Hitler moved from an emotional antisemitism to a systematic antisemitism of laws and government violence     Late in 1938, Nazis across Germany attacked Jews and their homes, businesses and places of worship and arrested about 30,000 Jewish men. The attacks became known as Kristallnacht – the “Night of Broken Glass” – for the streets littered with broken glass from the vandalism.But the pogrom of Nov. 9-10, 1938, went beyond the broken glass of Jewish-owned shops on the streets of German cities and has rightly been called a major turning point in the history of the Holocaust. Continued here

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Texas tried to fix its teacher shortage by lowering requirements - the result was more new teachers, but at lower salaries     Sarah Guthery works for the University of Oklahoma and her work has been previously supported by Texas A&M University- Commerce. Facing persistent teacher shortages, Texas in 2001 reduced its student teaching requirements for alternative licensure programs. Our study found that these reduced teacher licensure requirements also led to reduced wages for all new elementary school teachers over the next 20 years. Continued here

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Secure attachment to both parents - not just mothers - boosts children's healthy development     Imagine a sudden rustle in the tall grass. A ripple of alarm passes through the group of early humans who live together amid ancient, rugged terrain. In the center of the encampment, a 3-year-old child – let’s call her Raina – stumbles and falls, her eyes wide with fear.Without hesitation, her mother sweeps her up into her protective arms, while her grandmother quickly gathers herbs and leaves to create a pungent smokescreen to deter lurking predators. Simultaneously, Raina’s father and uncles move swiftly to the outskirts of the camp, their vigilant eyes scanning for signs of danger. Continued here

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NASA's robotic prospectors are helping scientists understand what asteroids are made of - setting the stage for miners to follow someday     The cars, cellphones, computers and televisions that people in the U.S. use every day require metals like copper, cobalt and platinum to build. Demand from the electronics industry for these metals is only rising, and companies are constantly searching for new places on Earth to mine them.Scientists estimate that lots of these metals exist thousands of miles beneath Earth’s surface, in its molten core, but that’s far too deep and hot to mine. Instead, some companies hope to one day search for deposits that are literally out of this world — on asteroids. Continued here

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Modern medicine has its scientific roots in the Middle Ages - how the logic of vulture brain remedies and bloodletting lives on today     Nothing calls to mind nonsensical treatments and bizarre religious healing rituals as easily as the notion of Dark Age medicine. “The Saturday Night Live” sketch Medieval Barber Theodoric of York says it all with its portrayal of a quack doctor who insists on extracting pints of his patients’ blood in a dirty little shop. Though the skit relies on dubious stereotypes, it’s true that many cures from the Middle Ages sound utterly ridiculous – consider a list written around 800 C.E. of remedies derived from a decapitated vulture. Mixing its brain with oil and inserting that into the nose was thought to cure head pain, and wrapping its heart in wolf skin served as an amulet against demonic possession. Continued here

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Biden administration executive order tackles AI risks, but lack of privacy laws limits reach     The comprehensive, even sweeping, set of guidelines for artificial intelligence that the White House unveiled in an executive order on Oct. 30, 2023, show that the U.S. government is attempting to address the risks posed by AI. The order is only a step, however, and it leaves unresolved the issue of comprehensive data privacy legislation. Without such laws, people are at greater risk of AI systems revealing sensitive or confidential information. Continued here

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Amazon a time bomb for the emergence of diseases with pandemic potential - due to deforestation and climate change     Home to the greatest biodiversity on the planet, the Amazon is also a ticking time bomb for the emergence or resurgence of diseases with pandemic potential. This is because environmental degradation and altered landscapes are important factors in this process, which are exacerbated during periods of extreme drought, such as the one now affecting the region.In the Amazon in particular, the paving of the BR-319 highway, linking Porto Velho to Manaus, is a significant source of concern. Conservative estimates predict that deforestation around the road will triple in the next 25 years, mainly due to land speculation. This is made worse by the fact that 90% of the area directly affected consists of untouched forest. Continued here

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Bird flu could be eradicated by editing the genes of chickens - our study shows how     Recent advances in gene editing technology could potentially be used to create disease-resistant animals. This could curtail the spread of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. In a recent gene editing study, my colleagues and I showcased the potential of gene editing to protect chickens from the threat of bird flu. This disease is caused by an ever-evolving virus that gets around numerous biosecurity measures such as good hygiene, restricting bird movements, surveillance through appropriate testing, and selective elimination of infected birds. Continued here

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South Africa's literacy crisis: our app could help young readers by using home language and English     Laurette Marais works for the CSIR. This work has been funded by the South African Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.Literacy changes lives: in Unesco’s words, it “empowers and liberates people, … reduces poverty, increases participation in the labour market and has positive effects on health and sustainable development”. Continued here

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Social media content in times of war: an expert guide on how to keep violence off your feeds     Social media platforms are a great source of information and entertainment. They also help us to maintain contact with friends and family. But social media can also – and has, often – become a toxic environment for spreading disinformation, hatred and conflict. Most people can’t or don’t want to opt out of social media. Efforts by courts and state bodies to regulate or control it are slowly catching up, but so far have been unsuccessful. And social media companies have a record of prioritising engagement over social benefit. Continued here

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How journalists tell Buffy Sainte-Marie's story matters -- explained by a '60s Scoop survivor     Lori Campbell, a ’60s Scoop survivor and a VP at the University of Regina, challenges the CBC’s motives in their exposé on the questionable Indigenous roots of Buffy Sainte-Marie, legendary singer-songwriter.Last week, a CBC investigation accused Buffy Sainte-Marie, the legendary singer-songwriter, of lying about her Indigenous roots. Continued here

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Sudden infant death syndrome: In Europe, nearly 80% of baby product packaging show unsafe positions     Professeur Associé en marketing et membre du groupe de recherche CNRS-GREGHEC, HEC Paris Business School Imagine you’re lounging comfortably at home, watching TV, when a car ad comes up showing a vehicle travelling at high speed on a windy road. Inside, an infant is shown in a baby seat that… isn’t secured. How would that commercial make you feel about the advertiser? Thankfully that never happens in real life, right? Continued here

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E-fuels can play a huge role in Canada's journey towards a net-zero future     As countries around the world face the challenges of moving away from oil to stave off the worst effects of climate change, Canada is in an enviable position.Canada is rich in what’s needed to transition to a renewable energy system: abundant renewable energy potential, land and the necessary intellectual and industrial resources. All we need is the will to act. Continued here

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New Labour dominance in the 1990s is now weakening the Conservative voter pipeline     If a man is not a socialist by the time he is 20, he has no heart. If he is not a conservative by the time he is 40, he has no brain.At first glance, this quote, attributed to Winston Churchill, appears to fit the evidence in Britain. A survey conducted during the 2019 general election reported in our recent book showed that 23% of respondents under the age of 30 voted Conservative and 55% voted Labour. In contrast, 59% of the over 65s voted Conservative and only 13% voted Labour. Continued here

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Natalie Zemon Davis: three brilliant examples of her microhistory writing     Natalie Zemon Davis, who died on October 21 just short of her 95th birthday, was probably the best-known and most well-regarded of North American historians since the 1970s. She published her first book, Society and Culture in Early Modern France, in 1975 and was writing the final pages of her last book in the weeks before she died.Her early work on the popular culture and religious mentalities of artisans and labourers in the 16th century captured imaginations, and she led the early teaching of women’s history at the University of Toronto. But it is her distinctive methods and contributions to what came to be known as microhistory that are best remembered. Continued here

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Many divorcees end up with nothing or only debt after divorce - new study     Contrary to the impression given by divorces covered in the media, most do not entail couples sharing vast amounts of wealth and spending huge sums on legal proceedings.The Fair Shares Project is the first nationally representative study to examine the financial arrangements of divorcing couples in England and Wales. Our team’s new report shows that most couples have very modest levels of assets to divide. In fact, 17% of divorcees in our survey had no assets at all, while 23% ended up with nothing or only debts following their divorce. Continued here

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Self-control isn't always a good thing - having too much can be bad for your mental health     PhD Candidate, Psychology of Maladaptive Overcontrol, Nottingham Trent University Alex Lambert works and studies at Nottingham Trent University. She also collaborates with individuals affiliated with Radically Open Ltd. Continued here

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Gay Games: Hong Kong's groundbreaking role as first Asian host could be overshadowed by politics     The Gay Games – a global sporting event for LGBTQ+ athletes – have been held in San Francisco, Paris, Sydney and several other cities in North America and Europe. This year, the games will be held in Asia for the first time. Events begin in Hong Kong, the co-host with Guadalajara in Mexico, on November 3.Competitive sports have, historically, reinforced social inequalities when it comes to race, gender, class and sexuality. Since their inception in 1982, the Gay Games have aimed to be a safe space for LGBTQ+ athletes. Continued here

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Israel-Hamas war: Lebanese peace plan reflects country's lack of appetite for more conflict     Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Portsmouth As the Lebanese prime minister, Najib Mikati, outlined a three-step peace plan for the conflict in Gaza on October 31, he made a statement which may seem ordinary to a western audience: “We will consider the right of Israel and the right of the Palestinians.” Continued here

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Whakaari/White Island court case will change the level of accepted risk in NZ's tourism industry     An Auckland court has found Whakaari Management Limited (WML) guilty of breaching workplace safety laws relating to the Whakaari/White Island eruption in 2019. This decision could have implications for anyone involved in adventure tourism in New Zealand. When Whakaari erupted on December 9 2019 there were 47 people on the island. The eruption killed 22 of them and injured 25, some severely. The island was at alert level VAL 2 (moderate to heightened volcanic unrest) when it erupted. Continued here

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Understanding all kinds of English accent can improve empathy and learning - and even be a matter of life and death     In a 2019 sketch from the US late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL), the actor James McAvoy plays a Scottish air traffic controller attempting to help a US brand integration manager (Mikey Day) land a plane in distress, because the pilot has been knocked unconscious. The fact that Day’s character is not a pilot only partly explains why the mayday call is not a success. McAvoy lays on thick Glaswegian, in both accent and vocab, and none of the Americans on board understand a word he says. Such a lack of understanding can often lead to what linguists term “accentism”, or accent-based prejudice. This typically sees the listener who doesn’t understand effectively blame the speaker for their accent. Continued here

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Taming wild northern rivers could harm marine fisheries and threaten endangered sawfish     Australia’s tropical northern rivers still run wild and free. These relatively pristine areas have so far avoided extensive development. But this might not last. There are ongoing scoping studies exploring irrigating agricultural land using water from these rivers.Using our latest computer modelling, we found northern water resource development would have substantial effects on prawn, mud crab and barramundi fisheries in the Gulf of Carpentaria. These are valuable Australian marine fisheries which depend on healthy estuaries. Reducing river flows would also disturb mangrove and seagrass habitats and threaten the iconic endangered largetooth sawfish. Continued here

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Friday essay: jilted lovers could once sue for breach of promise - did we lose something in abolishing this law?     Just a few lines to my ever dear Beattie.My dear love. I am nearly mad. Dear love, I love the ground you walk upon. My dear love. I pity you from the bottom of my heart. You are my love for life.I think it is a yarn about my wife being alive … I think it is spite …Dear, I would like to see you …On a squally autumn day in Sydney in March 1914, Beatrice Storey, a barmaid, sued Frederick Chapman, a farmer, for abandoning her on the day of their wedding. To be precise, she claimed £1,000 damages in the New South Wales Supreme Court for breach of promise of marriage, a suit that could be used to claim compensation for injuries arising from a broken engagement. Continued here

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I was a ward of the state. The horrors of the Parramatta Girls' Home were legendary     In the Sydney suburb of North Parramatta sits a cluster of very old buildings known as the “Parramatta Female Factory Precinct”.Built in 1821 to house and provide productive employment for the New South Wales colony’s growing population of female convicts, it was also the site of countless horrors – many of which occurred much more recently than you might think. Continued here

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I was a geriatrician on Old People's Home for Teenagers. Here's why I joined this TV experiment     This is the purposeful bringing together of different generations, aiming to benefit all involved. It’s the idea central to ABC TV’s Old People’s Home for Teenagers, and its predecessor Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds. Both show the positive aspects of mixing age groups, for the older people featured, as well as the teenagers or preschoolers.I’m a geriatrician, a doctor who specialises in the medical care of older people, one of two geriatricians who took part in this TV experiment. Here’s why I got involved. Continued here

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The 'drums of war' are receding, but Anthony Albanese still faces many uncertainties on his trip to China     Fifty years ago this week, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam visited the People’s Republic of China, establishing a relationship that has become mutually beneficial in terms of economic growth and development to both China and Australia. It was in many ways a bold step into the unknown. While the two economies are clearly complementary, their political systems are very different, as today’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, repeatedly points out. Continued here

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AI chatbots are coming to your workplace but are not necessarily coming for your job     Artificial Intelligence chatbots are everywhere. They have captured the public imagination and that of countless Silicon Valley inventors and investors since the arrival of ChatGPT about a year ago.The stunning human-like abilities of conversational AI - a form of artificial intelligence that enables computers to process and generate human language - have sparked widespread optimism about their potential to transform workplaces and increase productivity. Continued here

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Whose job will AI replace? Here's why a clerk in Ethiopia has more to fear than one in California     Artificial intelligence is changing the world – and one of the main areas it will affect in the short-to-medium term is the workforce. AI algorithms imitate real-world systems. The more repetitive a system is, the easier it is for AI to replace it. That’s why jobs in customer service, retail and clerical roles are regularly named as being the most at risk. Continued here

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Jewish women's illustrated memoirs of the Holocaust cover matrilineal relationships     The Ontario government recently made a welcome announcement that as of September 2025, lessons on the Holocaust will be included in the mandatory history class for Grade 10 students. The announcement precedes Neuberger Holocaust Education Week at the Toronto Holocaust Museum, which runs Nov. 1–9.As someone who teaches the Holocaust through literary works, I have found that illustrated graphic memoirs serve as an excellent entry point to this important but difficult subject. Continued here