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Valentines Day thoughtfulness has intrinsic rewards, says University of Rochester professor

We’ve all heard that it’s better to give than to receive. When it comes to Valentines Day, there’s empirical evidence to show that being thoughtful to a spouse is rewarding in and of itself. A 2017 study by University of Rochester Psychology Professor Harry Reis shows that when we show compassion toward our partner—when we put aside personal wishes in order to meet the partner’s needs—it makes us feel better, even if—and this was a surprise—those acts of compassion go unrecognized by the recipient.  Over the course of 14 days, husbands and wives reported giving and receiving an average of .65 and .59 compassionate acts each day—with husbands perceiving more such acts than did their partners. The acts included such things as changing personal plans for the partner’s sake, doing something that showed the partner was valued, and expressing tenderness for the spouse. For Reis, the results suggest that acting compassionately may be its own reward, or in this case, its own Valentines gift. Professor Reis’s research interests involve social interaction and close relationships. He studies the factors that influence the quantity and closeness of social interaction, and the consequences of different patterns of socializing for health and psychological well-being. 

Digital Transformation: Painting the picture of the Future

There has been an enormous amount of talk and attention dedicated to Digital transformation as of late. But what does DX really mean for your company, industry and Canada? Simply explained, and according to i-Scoop - Digital transformation is the profound transformation of business and organizational activities, processes, competencies and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of a mix of digital technologies and their accelerating impact across society in a strategic and prioritized way, with present and future shifts in mind. To learn more, join Nigel Wallis - IDC’s VP of IoT & Industry Research - at Directions Canada 2018, where Wallis will share insightful research on the implications of Digital Transformation for Canada’s key sectors and workforce. Explore the opportunities and pitfalls of acting on the 3rd Platform technologies. Spaces remaining are limited. Click the image below to register for this year’s IDC Canada Directions conference or simply click on Nigel's icon to arrange an opportunity to chat directly with him. Source:

Body Cameras NOT to the Rescue

Body Cameras NOT to the Rescue! During the previous onslaught of repeated media grabbing stories and attention depicting possible police brutality, shootings, and all around unlawful prejudicial minority harassment; a recurrent solution was constantly thrown into conversations—Body Cameras. Well, it seems that expert and popular opinions were off base. The story of the 32 year old jaywalker, Johnnie Jermaine Rush, arguably illustrates the flaw in their proposed solution. Now, it is not to say that the solution is totally and utterly useless. The assumption that body camera undeniably deter people from acting unlawful or biased toward people of color due to the scrutiny of “Big Brother,” stands upon a chair missing a leg or two. The experts assume that possibly captured images of unlawful treatment by police officers exhibiting wrongful attitudes and actions toward Blacks and Brown people would not only lead to disciplinary measures, but also deter officer mistreatment. This takes one to be conscious that their racially based actions are not acceptable. But most people feel there are not racist. Most people unconsciously are blind to the white racial frame that has influenced them, their thoughts, and their actions toward people of color. They are right, while those of a different hue are wrong. They are human and civilized, and Black and Brown are not. They are worthy of human rights, and people of color are not. This mentality is difficult to keep in check when everything around you supports your ideology. Therefore, in the case of officer Senior Police Officer Christopher Hickman, he may have simply acted from an unconscious place riddled with hate and disdain. When society supports a racist ideology and preaches racialized division, how does one know they are wrong when acting in accordance to the society around them? Source:

Relief effort in Houston a complicated one

Record amounts of rain fall will bring catastrophic flooding to the Houston area. How to manage such a crisis brings to mind any number of logisical nightmares and heart-breaking scenarios. Goizueta’s Ken Keen is an expert in crisis response. Keen was commander of the Joint Task Force in Haiti when the earthquake hit six years ago. He was charged to lead the largest U.S. military based response to a foreign disaster commanding more than 22,000 personnel, 19 ships and 57 aircraft. Keen spent 39 years in the U.S. Army with positions including Military Deputy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Commander, Joint Task Force-Haiti and Commander positions around the world. He can speak to emergency preparedness and the steps following a natural disaster. Source: