Illustrated Blog

A summary of America’s 2023 racial-justice developments might read like this: – Hate crime increased. – Topics related to racism were censored out of K-12 and college classrooms. – Politicians attacked corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. – Federal courts and state governments struck down or crippled long-time programs that support disadvantaged individuals and

I recently noticed that the word avoidance is a mishmash of three words: A void dance. It’s an apt metaphor for the clumsy way many of us cope with the purpose void that sullies our work. We ignore this gaping deficiency and focus on performing the choreographed steps in our

You’re likely aware that U.S. boycotts recently depressed Anheuser-Busch’s US sales by an estimated 14% and Target’s by about 5%. If you’re a business leader, whether for a small or large company, this might alarm you. After all, the boycott-inciting offense is so commonplace that your business most likely practices it:

Two sales representatives, Lynn and Jane, go out to lunch. Jane remarks that the young server’s scowl is frightening and customer service is poor. Lynn suggests that maybe he’s exhausted from working several jobs, afflicted by back pain or grieving the death of a pet. Jane responds, “Possibly, but he

If like most workers you pine for more purpose in your job, consider the five New Year’s resolutions that follow. Don’t be fooled by how simple they seem. We humans are so sensitized to meaningful acts that even small acts of contribution ignite a sense of purpose in us – as well

I’m honored that David Hessekiel interviewed me for Forbes about ESG and purpose. He asked the hard questions many executives ask: What the heck is ESG? What’s the difference between ESG and purpose? Will the anti-ESG forces prevail? Why or why not? I hope it helps bring clarity and calm

That act of kindness you think is insignificant likely does more good than you know. We tend to think that expressing empathy to the receptionist whose arm is in a cast, for example, is frivolous. We expect him to enjoy our nicety mildly and momentarily, but nothing more to result

“If they can get away with it, every employee will act unethically to benefit themselves,” said Zach, a member of a team I advise. In response, his four colleagues at the table rebutted him eloquently. They told compelling stories of benevolence that made all present teary-eyed. It took the rest

Jerry ran a work meeting to generate possible solutions to a challenge his organization was facing. Yet, his gathering of highly qualified individuals produced no promising ideas. The two racial minorities did not speak. Neither did the sole under-30 team participant — unless you consider her surly expression a statement.

Carl, a newly-appointed regional director at a fintech company, learns that his region hires shockingly few women. In response, he works with the human resources department (HR) to establish a target for the percentage of new hires who are women. Over the next few months, however, the gender balance in hiring does not improve. Carl asks recruiters what they need to achieve the target. They request — and promptly receive — a larger budget and specialized diversity training and

I recently took a walk in greater Indianapolis, where I had traveled to give a keynote. Block after block, I brooded over a question: “Why keep trying when success is unlikely?” You may know that much of my work is guiding corporate executives toward operating in a manner that serves

Ukrainians are putting stickers specifying blood type on their children and signs saying “Get out of my home” in Russian on their doors. They’re being bombed. They’re fleeing senseless violence on foot. Some have lost their lives. With news like this, it’s hard to do business as usual. We want

In recent years, thousands of Amazon workers have signed a letter making demands of their employer, hundreds of Wayfair employees have walked out in protest and 5% of Coinbase employees have quit due to unacceptable employment terms. Were these workers demanding higher pay? Work-from-home flexibility? Health care benefits? None of

Several people have told me that they’re convinced we’re descending into a dog-eat-dog society, a calloused culture, an uncaring world. Although I feel the same way at times, I don’t think the evidence paints a bleak future. Yes, some airplane passengers are violent. Yes, anti-Asian hate crime is up. Yes,

Imagine allowing customers to pay whatever amount they want for your products or services. Sounds like a recipe for getting fleeced into bankruptcy, right? Yet, data from companies that use such Pay What You Want (PWYW) pricing suggests that, typically, people are not greedy jerks. Most of the time, most

Last week, people globally Googled “holiday basket” 154% more times than the prior week. It’s a sign we’re approaching that seasonal ritual that, despite its beautiful intentions, often feels stale and meaningless: Holiday gift-giving between business relations. Good news! Like all business functions, gift buying can be ignited with purpose,

Women who’ve recently marched for a cause are in debt to a Latin American who helped normalize female activism 200 years ago, Manuela Saenz. She was a lauded member of Peru’s independence movement against the tyranny of Spain. Among other acts of courage, Manuela took midnight rides to erase graffiti

Like many of you, I’m heartsick for the people of Afghanistan–especially the girls and women left vulnerable to the Taliban squashing their rights and lives. It’s easy to feel helpless and hopeless. Let’s not forget, though, of a formidable force that we can nudge toward aiding Afghans (and other victims

A few days ago, I looked to the towering palm outside my window for inspiration as I often do. It was gone. Its owner cut it down that morning. Yet, for me, the Purposeful Palm is not gone. It’s as present as ever, only in an inverse form. My mind invented a

One in five of our colleagues are returning to the workplace carrying the pain of having lost a loved one during this pandemic. The Purposeful Palm’s suggestion is one simple way to aid healthy workplace grieving. But there are many others. See, for example, “Facing Grief at Work” by Susan

In the United States, women are five times more likely to do the majority of household cleaning and laundry (not to mention seven times more likely to do the majority of childcare), according to Gallup. The tech company Akraya already follows the Purposeful Palm‘s tip. They offer employees free housekeeping twice

PS: The tip is from the Purposeful Palm that is outside my home office. It suggested it when I looked out my window wondering how we could honor Earth Day during our constrained yet busy era.

We are living in complex times. It’s fine to repeat proven ways to do good at work. Not everything worthwhile is an innovation. PS: If you’re just learning of the Purposeful Palm, it’s the tree outside my office window that my gaze lands on when I’m stuck, looking for ideas or trying

The above Purposeful Palm tip was shared by Dr. Angela Demaree when she interviewed me (Bea Boccalandro) on her Beyond the Stethoscope podcast. If you doubt that your surprises will make a difference, know that the book Compassionomics by Anthony Mazzarelli and Stephen Trzeciak found that a 40-second caring interaction improves the wellbeing of

To welcome the year of the Ox this Chinese New Year, the Purposeful Palm is sharing what it learned from studying the 10 Ox Herding pictures, a series of drawings and short poems that describe the stages of progress toward Zen enlightenment.

This week, the Purposeful Palm is apparently suggesting you read an article I wrote for Harvard Business Review last week. I hope you find it inspiring, informative or otherwise of value. Go to article.

It’s that simple! At the time of the appointment, start exploring what you might contribute and then go do it. Half the effort —and fun — will be selecting the good deed of the week. Consider searching for options in your company’s volunteer program, resource groups or other employee programs.

Yes, the Purposeful Palm is right: A report published by the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen suggests that the 2020 global decline in happiness is as sharp as if all eight billion of us were divorcing. The study also found that for every 100 new COVID-19 cases another 7,200 people, on average, become anxious.

In honor of Tuesday’s launch of Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing, the above tip from the Purposeful Palm is a quote from the book that is apropos of Black Friday.

Above is the election-week advice the Purposeful Palm, which lives outside my office window, offered us.

The above tip from the Purposeful Palm outside my office window builds on last week’s tip. Last week it suggested we reflect on the similarities we have with those we work with. As you see, this week it suggests we go one step further. If you haven’t already, please review last week’s post to

The Purposeful Palm’s advice might seem frivolous, but repositioning how we think of others could very well improve our relationships. It can bring people who aren’t in our ingroup, which consists of those who give us a sense of belonging and we are inclined to support, into it. Research has discovered, for example, that after fans

When I gazed at the palm outside my office window searching for inspiration, it offered the above advice. Together we can ensure that all Americans with the right to vote have a safe opportunity to do so. Here are several organizations that offer volunteer opportunities to support a fair and

As you might remember, last week’s tip for a meaningful workweek from the Purposeful Palm was to forgo meat. My favorite reader response was from Ernesto: “No way, Bea. I love parrilla [bar-b-q]! Try to get your little plant to give me some other advice.” After the Palm stopped chuckling,

When I recently looked at the smoke-shrouded palm outside my California office wondering what to do about the raging global wildfires, it offered the above suggestion. Try it out and see how you feel!

When I stared at the Purposeful Palm outside my office window this week, it suggested we help with the other pandemic afflicting us: social isolation. In our work-at-home reality, many of our colleagues feel as though they have faded into the background, neither heard nor seen. The resulting loneliness can

Above is the advice the palm outside my office window provided when I pondered how people could find time to do good at work during these demanding times. Hope it helps!

I spend a lot of time gazing out my office window at a palm tree wondering how to ignite a sense of purpose in whatever work team I’m trying to help. It turns out the tall palm often has surprisingly helpful, simple and broadly applicable ideas. Above is one. The

Because I advise brands on social purpose, many business leaders have asked me how their companies can meaningfully respond to the racial injustice that afflicts U.S. society. To best answer this question, I’ve enlisted one of the country’s leading experts on corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, Fred Keeton. Fred is

Is there a productive assignment we can give our work-at-home team members who don’t have enough to do? I believe there is. And it happens to also serve the world. For many managers, COVID-19 is an opportunity to invite idle or semi-idle employees to develop social-purpose skills (defined as their

To help people turn COVID-19 “sadness into song,” as his website put it, a music composer gave away $20 downloads in March. This action inspired a musician in Massachusetts who benefitted from a $20 freebie to establish a collaborative music website “to promote peace, understanding, healing and happiness.” This, in turn, nudged a

I climb into Kevin’s Lyft vehicle. It has holes in the seat and reeks of day-old tuna fish. “How is it possible that he has a perfect five-star rating?” I wonder. After a few minutes of chit chat, Kevin asks if I know anybody with Down’s Syndrome. When I tell

What happens when your company shares information on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) with potential hires? I’m glad you asked! Daniel Hedblom and John List from the University of Chicago and Brent Hickman from Washington University in St. Louis have a stunning evidence-based answer. In fact, their research is my

I’m on stage in Atlanta facing 350 awards-banquet attendees. I start my keynote by asking participants to assess how anxious they are on a scale of one to ten, with one being “not at all” and ten being “extremely.” Then I ask them to do a work-related charitable act that

I spent nine hours crafting a metrics plan for a job-purposing project. The client responded that it was so “random and disjointed” that it gave her a headache. I typically think, if not say, something like “the heck with you” to criticism like this. (Were I capable of profanity, my

I arrived home from college one summer to find newspaper strewn between my parents’ teak furniture.  Atop each sheet was a different hunk of greasy machinery. My sixteen-year-old brother, Alfredo, had bought and disassembled a derelict Volkswagen beetle with the intent of transforming it into a functioning vehicle. As the

Chopping chives, frying fish, beating batter, or otherwise preparing food makes me borderline homicidal. I dislike the feeling of sticky hands, of splattering oil, of puffs of flour, and of seemingly every culinary sensation. What if my kitchen duties were part of a job that was “purposed,” meaning it made a

I have a confession. I’ve written and spoken, some might say ad nauseam, about the evidence-based benefits of job purposing. I’ve shared that job purposing, defined as helping others or a charitable cause through work, improves your job satisfaction, work performance, and mental health. It even makes you wealthier! Yet, job purposing is

Audience members sometimes ask to hire me to deliver the “the exact” speech they heard me give. I typically agree. Then I fail. I add a story, fold in new data, twist the ending or otherwise change the presentation I’m supposed to leave untouched. When reviewing my slides ahead of

University of Illinois professor, Archie Green, spent a lifetime studying the modern folklore of work. He listened to the songs, recited the poems and read the novels that related to labor. What did he conclude is our fundamental belief about work? “I work, therefore I am.”[1] It sounds ludicrous, as

Inner Giver vs Inner Egotist Except for extreme sociopaths, we’re all born with an inclination to contribute to the welfare of others without expectation of a reward (see evidence in prior posts). We have what I call an Inner Giver. And, yes, this includes your coworkers. Unless you recently ingested

Imagine that a vicious competitor secretly installed an evil device in your company’s lobby. Without workers knowing, the contraption zaps away half their motivation and productivity. Perky people approach the building, but wilted workers arrive at your meeting. Guess what? If your company is like most, that nasty demotivating device

In October 2017, the Boston Red Sox offered Alex Cora the team manager position, a promotion from the second-in-command role he had with the Houston Astros. Cora wanted the job but had one condition. The job candidate asked his prospective employer to provide a plane full of supplies to help

A group of students is asked to walk to another building to deliver a speech. They encounter a man slumped in a doorway, coughing and groaning. Unbeknownst to the students, the man is a hired actor. This Princeton University experiment found that students who possessed one particular thing were six

  We modern people aren’t quite right Are you willing to mess with your job to make a meaningful difference, or to job purpose, as this practice is called? Are you clueless as to how? If you answered yes twice, this post is for you. Before I share an awesome

I’m finally under the covers, as inert as an overcooked vegetable, in my hotel bed. My mind relaxes into the sleep I’ve pined for all day. Ahhh. Then I hear it. I’m startled awake. Irate. “Ugh. I last slept 3000 air miles and 18 hours ago! I’m too tired to

As soon as I conclude my presentation, the grey-bearded foreman in the first row sprints to the podium. “You were a perfect 10” he tells me. “Until 5 minutes ago. Then you blew it.” He holds his session evaluation up to my face. Under “overall assessment,” the rating on which

My sister, Iginia, and I are on a mountain ledge peering down a steep slope. We’re gawking instead of skiing this run because of its thick layer of ice. It will rebuff any ski edge and, thus, send us careening down several hundred feet. Backtracking is not an option. I

Job purposing is simple: Do small acts through work to help others or a charitable cause. The garbage worker in Turkey salvages books in good condition for low-income families. The California hairdresser becomes trained in domestic-violence services to aid clients she suspects are victims. The marketing associate in Wisconsin gives

The civil engineer leans against his desk. “Want to know the best part of my work?” he asks. I, the only other person in his office, nod vigorously enough for a crowd. The engineer pulls his khaki pants over his sizable belly and walks past his MIT diploma to a

[tm_pb_section admin_label=”section”][tm_pb_row admin_label=”row”][tm_pb_column type=”4_4″][tm_pb_text admin_label=”Text” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Peony, being elderly and arthritic, moves with difficulty. Fortunately, members of her community fetch what she needs and steady her as she hobbles to social gatherings. Why do these individuals, most of whom are unrelated to Peony, help her without any

Most of us will take half our waking breaths at work. As if this hefty contribution of time weren’t enough, we also invest emotionally. We agonize over a conflict with a colleague, obsess over a forthcoming presentation, rejoice in attaining a quarterly goal and otherwise live the ups and downs

We’ve all suffered through it. Whether it’s because of a sick child, late-night concert or, in my case, ridiculous vampire novel, we’ve showed up to work sleep deprived. We try to excel but can’t drum up motivation. Caring about the quality of our product or attentively listening to a coworker

Raul is why I changed college majors, attended graduate school, started my business, donated to charity last week and wrote this post. I came across Raul in Caracas, Venezuela, when I was nine years old. I was staring out the passenger-side window of the family air-conditioned sedan trying to tune

If you’re an American business leader, this week likely threw you into a professional conundrum: Should you take a public stand against white supremacy knowing you’ll jump into treacherous political waters? Brands have traditionally been mute on political issues and active only in apolitical societal causes — reading to children,

Are you motivated to strengthen your community, clean up our environment or otherwise make a positive impact on others or society? If so, don’t squelch this desire to contribute for fear that you’ll neglect your own financial wellbeing. Research by Anthony Burrow from Cornell University (my alma mater!) and three other

During one particular week in each of the last nine seasons, the New York Yankees have won 72% of games. This not only beats their regular record, which is 56% wins, it also beats the best team in baseball on almost any day (for example, the Houston Astros lead the

Last week a Fortune 500 executive told me he was “personally interested in [company name] making a positive social impact.” After a pause he added “But, obviously, economists would caution that corporate social responsibility is financially imprudent.” Like this gentleman, many of us assume the great economic thinkers disapproved of

Think your fancy modern job is better than the primitive jobs of our ancestors? Maybe not. It’s unlikely cave dwellers grumbled about the day they endured to put dinner on their stone tables. Anthropologists believe pre-historic humans legitimately enjoyed working. The legacy of these happy laborers appears to survive in

Does your job feel bland and purposeless? Do you like your work but still yearn for a more meaningful existence? I suggest messing with your job — just a tad — to ignite it with purpose. You can help homeless families, protect the natural environment, support customers battling illness or

You’re with your spouse at your favorite restaurant after an arduous workday that started pre-sunrise. Understandably, you yawn while your honey shares an eye-opening LinkedIn post. Before you blurt out an apology, something odd happens. Your spouse yawns! They slept in, had a leisurely afternoon and had so much energy

It’s probable that right this moment… A valet parking attendant is inspecting tires and, if any are bald, will alert the car’s owner. A fitness-loving construction inspector is writing an internal blog to help her colleagues adopt healthy behaviors. A safety officer at a chemical manufacturing plant is telling workers

My client, Jane, said “This election has turned me into a pathetic soft sack of emotion. I’m so saddened that I can barely function.” The next day I asked if she felt any better. “Not really. I left work early to get a pedicure. It didn’t help.” It doesn’t take

“You can’t help me. I manage mostly wait staff who only work for the paycheck.” Ron, the owner of several restaurants, tells me this upon hearing that I help companies expand the societal impact of jobs, a practice called job purposing. Ron believes some jobs – like nursing – promote

“Ouch, my knee!” I whine into the, mercifully, empty bedroom. Two days post-surgery, I’ve awoken from drug-induced slumber to the sight of my bandaged leg atop several pillows. I wonder if the eight screws the surgeon inserted into my shinbone are tap dancing. As fond as I am of this

“I was offered a wonderful job promoting ocean restoration!” my beaming Georgetown student, Lisa, tells me. Before I shriek my congratulations, she deflates. “It would be a 30 percent pay cut, so I doubt I can take it.” Lisa was considering a move from a corporate to a nonprofit marketing

“I don’t know what my purpose is,” my friend, Rachel, confesses. She’s uncomfortable admitting this to the person who regularly gives impassioned presentations on workplace purpose. She shouldn’t be. I, a certifiable purpose zealot, don’t know what my life’s purpose is either. And you know what? I’m happy lacking a

Scammer email: I need an investor to invest 300000$ in farming that will yield profit of 6000000$ in eight months [sic] James’ response: What sort of farming are we talking about? Will I need to milk a cow? Scammer: No cow business but snail farm only  James: How are we

“Will this ever end?” Brom’s question, murmured only to himself and maybe the gods, refers to his stonemasonry shift. He studies this cluster of cut stones. It looks meager in the shadow of Dain’s towering pile. This adds to Brom’s frustration from failing the certification test that Dain passed. Dain catches Brom admiring his work, winks

Imagine tomorrow you walk into your office and your furniture has been replaced with frumpy hand-me-downs and your computer with a slower older model. When your system finally springs to life, an email from your direct superior awaits. It says your compensation has been cut 10 percent. Naturally, this downgraded work situation would dampen your