The Big Think+ blog

Whether you are new to the workforce or a corporate executive, you may find yourself in the position of needing to write and present an effective message to a group […]

It is becoming an increasingly popular trend in Silicon Valley to place failure on a pedestal. According to author Tim Ferriss, the phrase “fail fast, fail forward” has become a […]

Technology has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few generations. In the early 1960s, computer mainframes the size of semi-truck trailers that used transistors were considered cutting-edge because […]

In an increasingly global and connected world, cultural diversity and inclusion are of great importance. While many organizations realize the role an effective diversity training program can play, there is […]

The ever-elusive “soft” skills tied to a high emotional intelligence (EQ) remain a key differentiator between wildly successful employees and ones who may struggle to effectively collaborate with their peers. […]

Investor, advisor and author Tim Ferriss says that often times the smartest questions are the “dumbest” — the ones that no one asks because they are afraid of being shamed. In a […]

What is it that separates an average-performing employee from a truly exceptional employee? While there are many things that can set one employee apart from the rest in terms of […]

Design thinking is the art of implementing elements from a “designer’s toolkit” to create innovative solutions and systems. When applied the right way, it can offer considerable benefits.

Tim Ferriss is an old hand at goal setting. However, many people let fear hold them back when setting their own goals. In this video, Tim dives into how to […]

Getting a self-directed learning (SDL) course off the ground is an enormous challenge for many organizations. While SDL empowers employees to make their own decisions and control the direction and […]

Cultural diversity is not only an enormous issue for organizations of all sizes—it’s an inevitable fact of life in our increasingly globalized economy. Companies can benefit greatly from the variety […]

In this video, Sarah Robb O’Hagan discusses some of the experiences and revelations that she had while working on her book, Extreme You. Among the most impactful realizations is how many […]

Every year, companies try to do things better, to find the most effective way to complete some task or to improve overall productivity. Employee learning programs play a massive part […]

Generating excitement and enthusiasm for a new learning program can be an enormous challenge for any organization. Very few working adults find “going back to school” to be an appealing […]

Robert S. Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, discusses the qualities of effective leadership and identifies some of the questions that every leadership should regularly […]

Diversity training programs can help make your organization a better place for people to work—improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention. A diverse workforce brings together many different perspectives, skills, and […]

In-person training programs were, at one time, the best way to help your employees learn new skills and to ensure that the lessons stuck. With an in-person training session, employees […]

In this video, Malcolm Gladwell, staff writer with The New Yorker magazine and author of four New York Times bestselling books, discusses what separates “geniuses” from the rest. In addition […]

Developing an effective learning culture—one in which employees are continuously learning new things and applying those lessons to their work—is one of the most important tasks for any modern organization.

With 2017 drawing to a close, many organizations are taking the time to think about how they can improve in 2018. Often, solutions are around finding ways to make the […]

Finding Opportunity Where Others Think It’s Impossible In this video for Big Think+, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, talks about how opportunity isn’t based on “disruption for […]

Employee engagement is an ongoing struggle for many organizations. Numerous studies from employee research organizations have tied the engagement of employees to higher profits, efficiency, retention, and other benefits. However, […]

Efficiency is an obsession for many organizations—whether they’re businesses, nonprofits, or government agencies. However, efficiency isn’t a metric in and of itself. Efficiency is always linked to another performance metric; […]

Self-Directed Learning (SDL) empowers employees to control their own development and education. A well-executed SDL initiative can improve the speed at which employees gain new skills and increase engagement with […]

With the new year fast approaching, people often start brainstorming some personal goals to improve themselves and their lives. However, these “New Year’s Resolutions” aren’t exclusive to individuals. Organizations can […]

The end of the year is nearly here, and all throughout the nation employees are beginning their holiday celebrations.. For many, the holidays are a chance to sit back, relax, […]

Strong performance has an enormous impact on an organization’s viability — it boils down to a team of highly effective, dedicated workers who can complete tasks quickly and efficiently.

Summary Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder, discusses the necessity of making time for yourself and […]

Communication is at the core of any organization’s day-to-day activities. Every email, text, tweet, face-to-face chat, report, phone call, and so on is a part of a business’ communications. Without […]

Many organizations look for ways to improve their employee learning and development programs in the new year. One solution with proven results is self-directed learning.Self-directed learning, or SDL, is a process […]