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Ideas Made to Matter

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The top 10 MIT Sloan news stories of 2019

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  1. Toxic employees can have a huge impact on workplace morale, productivity, and turnover, but identifying toxic people can be difficult. Here are red flags to look for.
  2. It’s okay if your career path resembles a game of Chutes and Ladders, Apple VP Kate Bergeron told students during a talk loaded with career hacks.
  3. “A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations” offers a negotiation theory with almost universal applicability. More than 50 years later, it can still guide readers to positive outcomes.
  4. Even with blinded reviews, which remove all of the applicant’s identifying information, female scientists are 16% less likely than men to get a high score on grant proposals. New research suggests word choice might be the reason why.
  5. Office perks like free snacks or foosball tables may be eye-catching, but a survey shows staples like flexible work schedules, bonuses, and healthcare are the best way to attract talent.
  6. A new method for estimating the effect of coaches on sports team outcomes determines that they do matter, sometimes in surprising ways. (And yes, Bill Belichick is above average.)
  7. Mathematician, businessman, and philanthropist James Simons shares words of wisdom from a life well-lived. One piece of advice: “Be guided by beauty.”
  8. The delta v 2019 demo day showcased 24 MIT startup ideas, from a robotic bartender to remote eye exams.
  9. Practicing and reinforcing norms and values can help eliminating toxic behavior in the workplace, according to researchers. Empowering colleagues to become active bystanders can help.
  10. Companies are under pressure and struggling to transform into digital businesses. Researchers identified five building blocks that are the foundation of any digital transformation.
For more info Sara Brown Senior News Editor and Writer