Michael Blanding
Working Knowledge
Boston, MA, United States
Contact Michael
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Michael:
Why Quiet Quitters Need More Than Money to Re-Engage
A hefty bonus might do little to inspire a truly checked-out employee. It's time for managers to genuinely connect with their colleagues, and build more community and meaning in the workplace, say Rawi Abdelal and Thomas DeLong. → Read More
Looking For a Job? Some LinkedIn Connections Matter More Than Others
Debating whether to connect on LinkedIn with that more senior executive you met at that conference? You should, says new research about professional networks by Iavor Bojinov and colleagues. That person just might help you land your next job. → Read More
All Those Zoom Meetings May Boost Connection and Curb Loneliness
Zoom fatigue became a thing during the height of the pandemic, but research by Amit Goldenberg shows how virtual interactions can provide a salve for isolation. What does this mean for remote and hybrid workplaces? → Read More
Company Reviews on Glassdoor: Petty Complaints or Signs of Potential Misconduct?
Online reviews by employees can signal internal factors that raise the risk of scandal. Research by Dennis Campbell, who analyzed reviews of 4,000 companies, offers insights for managers trying to prevent misdeeds long before they happen. → Read More
Are Your Employees Languishing? Try Piquing Their Curiosity
People are worn out after two years of upheaval. Research by Francesca Gino shows how stoking curiosity can help employees not only re-engage with their work, but find more happiness. → Read More
Can Autonomous Vehicles Drive with Common Sense?
Driverless vehicles could improve global health as much as the introduction of penicillin. But consumers won't trust the cars until they behave more like humans, argues Julian De Freitas. → Read More
The New Yorker’s Elizabeth Kolbert: “No Way To Fight Climate Change Without Adhering to the Principles of Environmental Justice”
The veteran environmental reporter on climate journalism, geoengineering, genetically modified coral, and more. → Read More
The Hard Truth About Being a CEO
CEOs rarely get the full story from advisers and don't seem to know when to step down, says David Fubini. His book Hidden Truths offers candid wisdom for leaders. → Read More
Succeeding in the New Work-from-Anywhere World
Remote work is here to stay. Tsedal Neeley's Remote Work Revolution offers business leaders a blueprint for navigating the virtual workplace. → Read More
The Tulsa Massacre: Is Racial Justice Possible 100 Years Later?
A new Harvard Business School case by Mihir Desai examines the Tulsa Massacre of 1921, and asks difficult questions about what reparations America owes to its Black citizens. → Read More
Product Disasters Can Be Fertile Ground for Innovation
Rather than chilling innovation, product accidents may provide companies an unexpected opportunity to develop new technologies desired by consumers, according to Hong Luo and Alberto Galasso. → Read More
Climate Coverage that Engages Audiences Without Overwhelming Them
ushfires in Australia. Disintegrating ice in Greenland and Antarctica. Devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean. Record-breaking temperatures around the world—again. Hardly a day goes by when climate change and its consequences aren’t at the top of the news. And yet, climate change remains one of the most challenging stories for media to cover well. The sheer … → Read More
Lessons for Retailers from the Rebirth of Indie Bookstores
Independent bookstores are resurging. Their strategies offer lessons for many disrupted industries to compete against Amazon and other digital retailers, says Ryan Raffaelli. → Read More
Motivate Your High Performers to Share Their Knowledge
Companies are sitting on a largely untapped resource to improve employee performance, says HBS professor Christopher Stanton—the knowledge of their co-workers. → Read More
How to Turn Down the Boil on Group Conflict
Intergroup conflict can grind office productivity to a halt. Jeffrey Lees discusses how understanding psychological stereotypes can help divided parties compromise. → Read More
Creating the Experimentation Organization
New tools allow companies to innovate on an unprecedented scale, in every aspect of business. But the organization must also change. Stefan Thomke discusses his forthcoming book, "Experimentation Works". → Read More
Corporate Innovation Increasingly Benefits from Government Research
Nearly a third of US patents rely directly on government-funded research, says Dennis Yao. Is government too involved in supporting private sector innovation—or not enough? → Read More
For Better Ideas, Bring the Right People to the Brainstorm
Better ideas emerge when extroverts and people open to new experiences put their heads together, according to research by Rembrand M. Koning. But what about introverts? → Read More
For Better Ideas, Bring the Right People to the Brainstorm
Better ideas emerge when extroverts and people open to new experiences put their heads together, according to research by Rembrand M. Koning. But what about introverts? → Read More
Crowd Sourcing Is Helping Hollywood Reduce the Risk of Movie-Making
Hollywood insiders have created "The Black List," which helps surface good but often overlooked scripts. Does the wisdom of the crowd work at the box office? Research by Hong Luo. → Read More