A Selection of Readings From The Core Masterclass

“CEO job No. 1,  is setting, micro-nourishing — one day, one hour, one minute at a time — an effective people-truly-first, innovate-or-die, excellence-or-bust corporate culture.”  – Tom Peters

Author’s note: The Core Masterclass is a virtually delivered course — focusing on the elements that contribute to a strong work life foundation. It includes curated readings, targeted exercises and construct-specific behavioral guides. More information available here.

An organization’s ability to respond effectively in a time of crisis is paramount. Yet, this critical marker is not one that can be summoned on demand. The elements that should be present, only develop with care & time. One form of strength that may contribute to an effective response, is an organization’s level of “core stability”. Core stability, in a sense, is the foundation required to function effectively. This foundation includes vital elements such as communication channels and resource allocation systems — elements necessary to counter-balance an onslaught of challenge & change.

In times of stress, we cannot expect to draw against an internal core that has been woefully neglected. Working with organizations after the 2008 financial crisis revealed this, but only in retrospect. If core strength had not been a focus, it was lacking — and this limited an organization’s power to respond.

Sadly, this can become quickly evident.

Following this thread, I thought it appropriate to share a few articles from the The Core Masterclass reading list. (The course focuses on the elements that contribute to core stability.) If you read my work regularly, you are likely familiar with my stance on the the need for stability, for people and teams. This list explores this notion.

While the elements that contribute to organizational core stability vs. individual core stability (for example psychological safety, etc.) are somewhat different — they work together to build productive work environments.

Happy reading. Hoping you discover a useful chord.

1. A Blinding Flash of the Obvious, Theodore Kinni, Insights by Stanford Business.
2. How the Growth Outliers Do It, Rita Gunther McGrath, HBR.
3. The Best Strategic Leaders Balance Agility & Consistency, John Coleman, HBR.
4. If You Want Engaged Employees, Offer Them Stability. Marla Gottschalk, HBR.
5. To Make a Change at Work, Tell Yourself a Different Story, Monique Valcour and John McNulty, HBR.

More about The Core Philosophy™ here.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist who focuses on empowering work through the development of a strong foundation. She is a charter member of the LinkedIn Influencer Program. Her thoughts on work life have appeared in various outlets including the Harvard Business Review, Talent Zoo, Forbes, Quartz and The Huffington Post.