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Three strategies for dealing with toxic positivity in the workplace

Every workplace needs its cheerleaders who work lift their teammates up when the chips are down. But sometimes things really are that bad, and according to UD career expert Jill Gugino Panté, if that’s not acknowledged and dealt with, the situation will go further south. Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center at the University of Delaware, offered three tips for dealing with what is known as “toxic positivity.” Don’t force it. One example of toxic positivity in the workplace is always having to display and present positive emotions even when you might be feeling the opposite. So, feelings of frustration, anger or sadness are not acceptable on any given day. Forcing this type of toxic positivity can actually do the opposite and create feelings of resentment and burnout. Share with your supervisor. As an employee in this environment where toxic positivity runs rampant, you may want to have a one-on-one conversation with your supervisor to discuss the culture and ramifications of not being able to display authentic emotions. Perhaps letting your supervisor know that there are negative feelings festering under the “positive outside” that should be addressed. If you don’t feel comfortable going to your supervisor, find an advocate within the organization. And if you feel brave enough, try playing devil’s advocate in a meeting and state that discussing all angles could be helpful in problem solving. Be proactive with direct reports. Another example of toxic positivity is that everything, no matter the situation, is going to be alright. Sometimes situations are not going to turn out for the better. Sometimes situations are awful and horrible and people need to be allowed to feel that way. This constant “look on the bright side” can diminish a person’s experiences and feelings. It silences those who want to be able to express outrage, anger or sadness and doesn’t provide a supportive workplace. Eliminating this behavior starts at the top with creating an environment where people feel safe to express dissenting opinions or feelings. Panté is available for interviews. To set one up, simply click on her profile.

Georgia Southern Libraries celebrates grand opening for Patent and Trademark Resource Center

Patenting an invention and trademarking a product name can be challenging, yet protecting intellectual property is vital. To that end, Georgia Southern University Libraries celebrated the grand opening of its Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) with ribbon-cutting events at the Armstrong Center in Savannah this past September. The PTRC is part of a nationwide network of 84 public, state and academic libraries designated by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to support the public with trademark and patent assistance. Georgia Southern Libraries is one of two designated PTRCs in Georgia. “With the recent economic development of Hyundai’s Motor Group Metaplant America, associated suppliers and regional commerce, our PTRC cultivates a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,” stated Georgia Southern’s PTRC librarian representative John Schlipp. “Innovators and creative colleagues utilizing the PTRC service at Georgia Southern University Libraries will be able to determine the potential for their patent applications and federal registration for a trademark on their inventions, products or services.” Georgia Southern’s PTRC partners with the University’s Business Innovation Group (BIG) and other regional, like-minded organizations to foster innovation and creativity. Dignitaries from the USPTO, including Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director Derrick Brent, and Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero attended the ribbon-cutting in Savannah. Both events acted as workshops for inventors, entrepreneurs and business startups. The PTRC at Georgia Southern can assist patrons in conducting their own free patent and trademark searches on specialized USPTO databases. Additionally, patrons can receive one-on-one instruction on the application process, improve awareness of a product field, determine application feasibility and prepare for consulting with an attorney. Interested in learning more? Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Strong team culture will pull Phillies' through latest playoff disappointment

[Updated Oct. 25, 2023] The Philadelphia Phillies magic run in the MLB playoffs has ended, but there's no doubt their unusually strong "Brotherly Love" will continue to carry them through another tough end to the season. Kyle Emich, professor of management at the University of Delaware, can talk about the team's bond with each other and unique rituals. They include blaring the fluffy pop song "Dancing on My Own" after key victories and a potentially vulgar hand signal that players flash from the dugout after big hits. The study of love in teams is not entirely new, said Kyle Emich, professor of Management at the University of Delaware. Companionate love, as opposed to romantic love, focused on compassion, caring and feelings of affection toward one's teammates, has been linked to satisfaction and working together as a team, while preventing burnout (key to late-season performance), he said. Emich added: A positive clubhouse culture can help a team remain confident after failure (which every team endures at some point), develop and commit to innovative solutions that may be risky and feel safe voicing concerns, which may need to be overcome to move forward. We have all been on teams where members bottle up problems until, of course, they eventually burst ruining team performance. Positive teams don't do that. It's not just nice that the Phillies seem to get along so well, this sense of chemistry and support may underlie their stellar performance. To arrange an interview with Emich on this topic or any relating to teams – especially in the workplace – simply click the "contact" button on his ExpertFile profile.

The rising demand for DBAs

Today’s global business environment has led to rising demand for more advanced qualifications. Aston University’s Geoff Parkes explains how a DBA degree can help leaders meet employer demands and identify cutting-edge solutions to business problems. In recent years, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) has emerged as a prestigious qualification that equips aspiring business leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to address complex challenges in the corporate world. Delivered online, Aston University’s Executive DBA programme is designed to accommodate professionals’ busy schedules and exemplifies the flexibility and relevance that DBA degrees offer in today’s dynamic business environment. Turning theory into practice DBA programmes, like their doctoral counterparts, require candidates to delve deeply into advanced business topics and contribute to their chosen field through original research presented in a thesis. What sets DBA graduates apart is their ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. They are trained to apply their extensive knowledge directly to real-world business problems, making them invaluable assets to their employers. While DBA students are generally not inventing new theories, they are applying existing models in innovative and creative ways that contribute new knowledge both to academia and practice. Universities and business schools that offer DBA programmes will have a cadre of academic supervisors and faculty who can combine scholarly rigour with practical business experience. This is what students look for in their choice of institution. According to the Global DBA Survey from Compass, the typical DBA candidate boasts an impressive 15 years of professional experience on admission to the programme. It’s the norm for DBA students to complete their research while holding middle or senior management positions, showcasing their commitment to career advancement and expertise development. In fact, a DBA candidate’s thesis is usually directly related to a live work issue that requires this level of rigour. Rising educational expectations In the rapidly evolving business landscape of the 21st century, businesses worldwide are seeking leaders who can seamlessly navigate new challenges without extensive training. While a bachelor’s degree coupled with professional experience was once sufficient, the demand for more advanced qualifications has grown substantially. For many, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) has therefore supplanted the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) as the requisite ‘entry-level’ degree, with DBA degrees elevating candidates even further. A recent report from EFMD Global found that DBAs are on a growth trajectory, with 86 per cent of institutions offering the qualification expecting an increase in enrolments in the near future. Career advancement and reputation are key growth factors for those seeking to study the qualification. The main driving motivations are the transformation of careers (cited by 81 per cent of respondents), the ambition to achieve the recognition of ‘Doctor’ (cited by 76 per cent) and the need for research with managerial impact (71 per cent). Business as an international language The proliferation of DBA education globally is a relatively recent phenomenon, with many programmes established in the last decade. This trend is not confined to a specific geographic location – the aforementioned Global DBA Survey from Compass indicates that 42 per cent of programmes are based in Europe, 28 per cent in North America and 22 per cent in Asia. DBAs are demonstrating their ability to impart business knowledge that transcends borders. Moreover, the survey highlights an 80 per cent increase in demand for DBA programmes worldwide, with no region experiencing decreased interest and significant growth in the Middle East and Asia. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, with its flexible distance learning approach, exemplifies this global trend. Taking an academic approach to business Contrary to popular culture perceptions, business leaders rely on a foundation of knowledge acquired through rigorous academic and professional development. A guide in US News & World Report outlines the various stages of a typical DBA online programme, emphasising that candidates undergo multiple phases of research and evaluation to become workplace-ready executives. The journey includes: Research methods: DBA programmes commence with research methods courses that equip students with essential skills for business research. These practical courses introduce students to valuable sources and questions, preparing them for their thesis projects. Thesis and defence: After completing research methods courses, DBA candidates propose their doctoral theses, refining them with faculty supervisors. Supervisors ensure that thesis topics are original and contribute knowledge to the field. Candidates then conduct research and present their findings in a viva, which determines whether they have met the required standard for a doctorate. Benefits of DBA completion DBA graduates stand to enjoy several benefits, including: 1. Increased salary: DBAs command significantly higher salaries compared to other business degrees. PayScale data reveals that while graduates of a bachelor’s degree in business earn an average of GBP£34,000, MBA graduates earn median salaries of £52,000. DBA degree holders stand to earn even more, in executive positions that might include operations director (£87,989), vice-president (£92,800) and finance director (£102,078). 2. Multiple career paths: Unlike PhD programmes that primarily prepare students for academic careers, DBAs offer participants the flexibility to pursue both academic and business careers. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, in line with global trends, focuses on preparing students for senior management roles. DBA candidates align their research projects with their career paths, showcasing their advanced knowledge and expertise in specific domains. In conclusion, the rise of DBA programmes is driven by the growing demand for advanced business education, the globalisation of business knowledge and the need for leaders who can integrate academic rigour with practical expertise. DBA graduates are well-equipped to meet employer demands and explore innovative solutions to contemporary business challenges, making them invaluable assets in the ever-evolving world of business. Dr Geoff Parkes is DBA programme director and associate professor in marketing and strategy at Aston Business School, Aston University. Following a career in industry, he graduated with a DBA in 2015 Discover Aston University’s online Executive DBA programme Aston University is a public research university situated in Birmingham, England. In 2020, Aston University was named ‘University of the Year’ by the Guardian and ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ in the Times Higher Education Awards. Aston was also shortlisted for ‘University of the Year’ in the Times Higher Education Awards 2021

Jacqueline Ortiz Honored for Increasing Patient Access to Interpreter Services

Fifty-eight years ago, a young man from Argentina wound up in surgery at a California hospital after stomach pains turned out to be peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall. He was discharged to his wife’s care, with one problem — neither the man nor his wife had any idea how to care for the open wound in his abdomen. Jacqueline Ortiz  The couple did not understand the lengthy instructions delivered in English, and there was no interpreter to explain to them in their native Spanish what to expect. So, when the man tried to take a bath and discovered the gauze was stuck to his wound, he didn’t know what to do. Fear and uncertainty compounded an already stressful time. Jacqueline Ortiz wasn’t yet born when her father’s health care emergency took place, but growing up she heard the story over and over. It was more than family lore for Ortiz — it was a lesson. Ortiz said she wanted her mother, pictured with her at the DVTA event, to see the growing number of people working as interpreters to ensure people get the information they need in the language they understand. Ortiz, now the vice president for Health Equity and Cultural Competence at ChristianaCare, saw firsthand how the experience left her parents terrified of the medical environment. Removing barriers to good health Years later, Ortiz is a leader in advocating for patients to have access to qualified, culturally responsive medical interpreting services to remove communication barriers with providers and ensure the best possible care and outcomes. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. Her pioneering efforts and enthusiasm for promoting the use of trained interpreters in health care earned Ortiz the inaugural Making an Impact Award from the Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA) during an event Sept. 9 at Widener University. In her role at ChristianaCare, she builds the organization’s capacity to reduce the incidence of disease and improve health outcomes, advance equitable health care services, and reduce health disparities for identified conditions and target populations through culturally competent care, including providing health care in patients’ native languages. She has over 20 years of experience researching, teaching and working in cultural competence and health equity, social networks, and economic sociology. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. A vision for serving everyone Eliane Sfeir-Markus, CHI, president of the DVTA, said the award recognizes the efforts of those working to make interpreting and translation more available to people with limited English proficiency, and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Ortiz’s pioneering work to expand language services for patients and implement comprehensive cultural competence training at ChristianaCare have set a standard for caring for patients in their native languages. “Jaki’s vision for a health care system that truly serves everyone, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background, is inspiring,” Sfeir-Markus said. “We as patients deserve someone who knows our culture to take care of us.” ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters and over 100 caregivers who have undergone additional training to provide interpreting services when needed. ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters — who wear eggplant-colored uniforms — and over 100 bilingual caregivers who have undergone special training to serve as interpreters in some settings. “Jaki is a well-known name in the field of interpreting and translation because she has advocated for education and professionalization of interpreters in health care,” said Claudia Reyes-Hull, MArch, CMI, CHI, manager of Cultural and Linguistic Programs at ChristianaCare. “Thanks to her advocacy, more health care systems are recognizing the need to have trained interpreters for their patients.” In accepting the award, Ortiz said interpreters play a critical role in health care by making it possible for patients — and their families — to take an active role in their own care and decrease the anxiety over visiting a health care provider. She credited the success of ChristianaCare’s interpreting and translations services and its continued growth to the collaborative spirit and camaraderie among its team of caregivers, particularly Reyes-Hull. Ortiz said her family’s personal experience with a lack of interpreting services during a hospital stay made them anxious about health care for years. “Probably all of us in this room have walked into a courtroom or a lawyer’s office or a hospital room or a clinic and introduced ourselves and seen that immediate response and relaxation in the person we were speaking with,” Ortiz said to the translators at the DVTA event. “You make those interactions within our legal, educational and health care systems so much better.”

American Medical Association Honors ChristianaCare for Promoting Well-Being of Health Care Workers for Second Consecutive Time

For the second consecutive time, ChristianaCare has earned the Joy in Medicine™ recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA). ChristianaCare earned Gold Level recognition, the highest level of recognition in the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program. It was one of only 10 health systems nationwide to achieve Gold Level. The recognition underscores ChristianaCare’s demonstrated commitment to the well-being of clinical care team members. “Receiving the Joy in Medicine Award the first time was certainly an honor, but achieving gold level status a second time is an even greater achievement, as the requirements are more exacting,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “It is a testament to the fact that at ChristianaCare and our Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, we are not comfortable resting on our laurels. We continue to raise the bar in our efforts to support the well-being of our caregivers, effectively respond to the changing health care landscape and foster an environment where each of our caregivers can thrive.” Continued Excellence in Support of Caregivers In 2022, ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing launched Psychological First Aid training to help organization leaders build skills to identify and support colleagues impacted by stress. More than half of ChristianaCare leaders completed the training in 2022. The training is now available to all caregivers. In addition, ChristianaCare’s peer support program, known as Care for the Caregiver, offers confidential individual peer support and group support following a range of stressful events at work. The program completed nearly 2,500 encounters from 2015 to 2022. ChristianaCare also has established the Workplace Civility Steer Team, which provides strategic direction in establishing an environment that is safe and free of violence for caregivers, patients and visitors. The team performs this through program and process development for the identification, prevention and response to workplace violence, a challenge increasingly faced by health care workers nationwide. “Health organizations that have earned recognition from the AMA’s Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leading a national movement that has declared the well-being of health professionals to be an essential element for providing high-quality care to patients, families and communities,” said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “Each Joy in Medicine recognized organization is distinguished as among the nation’s best at creating a culture of wellness that makes a difference in the lives of clinical care teams.” Burnout rates among the nation’s physicians and other health care professionals spiked dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic placed acute stress on care teams and exacerbated long-standing systemic issues. While the worst days of the pandemic have passed, the lingering impact of work-related burnout remains an obstacle to achieving national health goals. Since its inception in 2019, the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 100 organizations across the country. In 2023, a total of 72 health systems nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork and support.

Back to School: Expert Tips for a Smooth Transition in the New Academic Year

With the start of school now upon us, Gary Henry, dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development and professor in the School of Education and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration, is here to answer some common questions educators and parents may have. What are your three biggest concerns about K-12 education going into this academic year? I think the overarching concern for many K-12 teachers and administrators is creating a sense of continuity as children and young adults go back to school. The three big concerns that contribute to this issue are teacher turnover, school leader turnover and the number of long-term substitutes who are not fully prepared to teach in classrooms. These trends were already in place before the pandemic, but the pandemic heightened this crisis. For the last 20 years, we’ve seen a crisis in the enrollment in traditional teacher preparation programs. Between 2010 and 2018, we saw about a 35% reduction in the number of undergraduates who enroll in education majors across the U.S., but in Delaware, that reduction was 60%. Teacher shortages are affecting every state around the country right now. What is the best way to address these chronic teacher shortages? Chronic teacher shortages are a systemic problem, which means it’s largely a result of the system in which we educate and support teachers. We know, for example, that many alternative teacher preparation programs — where students come in with a bachelor’s degree outside of the field of education and take only a few courses in preparation for teaching — actually contribute to teacher shortages. So part of the answer is investing in traditional teacher preparation programs and in financial aid. Our team at CEHD’s Center for Excellence and Equity in Teacher Preparation is working directly with Delaware students from motivation to pursue teaching, through recruitment into UD teacher preparation programs, through graduation from those degree programs and into schools within Delaware, whenever possible. For example, our Teachers of Tomorrow program introduces underrepresented high schoolers to the field of education through an immersive, two-week summer institute at UD where they can learn about our programs, meet current students and talk with educators. In partnership with high-needs Delaware school districts and the Delaware Department of Education, our Teacher Residency program allows early childhood education, elementary teacher education and secondary STEM education students to pursue yearlong, paid teaching placements in Delaware schools. Overall, we find that 80% of the students we recruit from Delaware stay in our schools to teach. What recommendations do you have for school leaders who are struggling with turnover challenges? The first thing to do is to have a human resources professional conduct exit interviews with teachers who are leaving and for building leaders to pay attention to their responses so they can really understand the key causes of turnover in their school. In my research, I have analyzed exit interview data and I’ve found that teachers are often very straightforward about why they are leaving. The second step is to act on those reasons. And the third step is to constantly check in with the teachers. Ask, “how are things going? What can we do to help you address your instructional needs?” Developing relationships around instructional issues and the teachers’ work with students is fundamental to diagnosing and addressing issues before they lead to teacher turnover. What advice would you give a brand-new teacher about to start their first year in charge of a classroom? I believe that all educators should view students and their families for their assets and recognize that a student’s culture at home is an asset. A relationship with parents and students that recognizes and values the family’s culture allows you to unite with the family, unite with the student and give the student the confidence to take risks, to work hard and to want to come to school because that’s where they feel welcomed and honored. If parents are interested in supporting their child's education, how can they do so? I think the key ingredient for parents is working with teachers and principals to articulate the outcomes that they’re seeking for their children. It’s much easier to get everyone on the same page if you start from a position of common ground. I would also encourage parents to seek the person in the school system that’s closest to the issue. So if your child is struggling in math, reach out to your child’s math teacher first. If the teacher identifies other resources that may be helpful, then seek out additional support from the school principal. Gary T. Henry has much more to talk about as the school year gets underway. He is available for interviews. Click the "View Profile" button to get in touch with him. 

Sixers' summer soap opera: What the Harden-Morey rift can teach us about organizational dynamics

Did star point guard James Harden quit on the Philadelphia 76ers? Or did general manager Daryl Morey break his promise that a large contract would be coming his way after the former MVP took a pay cut last season? As is almost always the case, the answer sits somewhere in the middle, and that's a complicated place for it to be. But Kyle Emich, professor of management at the University of Delaware, said there are lessons in the latest Sixers' offseason debacle that can be applied to teams and culture in the workplace: When you are part of an organization, you need to feel what's called "task significance" to be motivated to do your job. This means that you need to feel that your job has a positive impact on the organization or broader society. The problems between Harden and Morey indicate that, although playing for the fans may give him some motivation, he no longer believes that the organization is a positive entity. This will greatly decrease his motivation, which influences practice and on-the-court performance (assuming he goes back on his threat to return). There is an even larger potential influence on things he is not paid for, but that are very important for the 76ers (such as informal mentoring of players like rising star Tyrese Maxey; acting as a role model (e.g., arriving early/leaving late), giving the organization positive press and his presence and demeanor at training camp (which he says he won't attend). Whether or not people realize it, organizations are emotional environments. Different emotions do different things and this sense of betrayal and anger is likely to make Harden actively move against the Sixers. This is obviously not ideal. Because Harden is a role model, we need to also be aware of emotional contagion. It is possible teammates will look at the front office with increased scrutiny, which will harm any new players brought in or anyone affected by front office moves. Emich is available for interviews, and can be contacted directly by clicking on his profile.

The Importance of Vitamin K for a Healthy Diet

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in blood clotting and in bone metabolism. Sharon Collison, a registered dietitian and instructor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Delaware, has over 30 years of experience looking at nutrition, diets and diet culture. She has studied the affects of vitamin K and the impact it can have on one's overall health.  She notes that vitamin K decreases bone turnover, protecting against fractures. Vitamin K is unique in that bacteria in the GI tract can synthesize vitamin K that can contribute to the body’s needs. People generally get about ½ their vitamin K from synthesis in the GI tract and ½ from food sources. Here are some foods that Collison said are not only good sources of vitamin K, but are nutritional powerhouse foods that are nutrient dense. Broccoli Raab: 241 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K. Also high in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C.  Artichokes: 14.8 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium.  Broccoli: 102 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also high in vitamin C, beta carotene, dietary fiber, potassium, iron and phytonutrients — which has great cancer fighting properties. Spinach: Chopped frozen boiled spinach has 543 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K, making it one of the best sources. Also high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, vitamin A and magnesium.  Green leaf lettuce: 126 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also a good source of vitamin A and potassium, folate and very low in calories.  Canola oil: 10 mcg/1 Tbsp vitamin K. Also a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. Canned tuna in oil: 37 mcg/3 ounces vitamin K. Also rich in protein and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  Eggs: Vitamin K content varies between 67-192 mcg per egg yolk depending on the hen’s diet. Also an excellent source of protein.  Arugula: 21 mcg/1 cup vitamin K. Also good source of potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin A and calcium.  Collison is affiliated with the National Alliance on Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention. She has been a board-certified sports dietitian since 2008, providing sports nutrition guidance to middle-school, high-school, collegiate, elite and amateur athletes.

Unraveling the Impact of Barbie on Body Image and Self-esteem

Although she had a record breaking opening weekend at the box office, Barbie, the iconic doll that has been a staple in many childhoods, has always had a tumultuous relationship with girls and women around the world. Often seen as the epitome of desired beauty standards, the doll has played a major role in the cultural zeitgeist of the last 64 years since debuting.  Jaehee Jung, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, can speak to the impact Barbie has had on body image issues, how it has affected young girls and womens' beauty ideals and even gender roles. She notes that despite more increased diversity in dolls and franchises, this standard of beauty still has a major impact on all these areas of identity.  Jung's research focuses on body image issues and beauty standards in consumer culture.