Technology is an integral part of work for most of us, but it’s also an undeniable cause of workplace stress. So how can we avoid burnout and start trying to find balance?

Jason Bennett Thatcher holds the Tandean Rustandy Esteemed Professorship at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder and researches how the interaction of people and technology change the world we work in

Jason explains how the interaction of people and technology affects work dynamics. Maria and Jason cover different types of technostressors like techno-overload, techno-invasion, and techno-ambiguity, as well as strategies to manage these different stressors. The discussion also delves into the impact of remote work, the importance of setting boundaries, and how employers and employees can take proactive steps to mitigate stress caused by technology.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

Understanding technostress and why stress affects everyone differently

[05:24] We were really interested in this core set of five variables that are looked at in technostress, like techno-invasion, techno-complexity, and whatnot, and how combinations of those led to job satisfaction and burnout. What was really cool about the study was that we found that, for every person, it's not the same. So, it's different combinations of stress that result in different outcomes for different people. And this was a really important thing, even though it's a very simple finding, right? Because what it lets you think about, as a manager, is, okay, what do I need to give my employee to manage the specific set of things that they're facing that result in them feeling more or less stressed out?

On the different types of technostressors

[02:02] There's this general idea that just all the ways the technology touches me is technostress in general. And then you have different consequences, like, you have techno-overload where technology makes me feel like I have too much going on. I have techno-invasion where I feel like the technology is letting people intrude into my life and it's causing me stress. I can have ambiguity introduced by technology. So, before, I knew what I was doing, and now I have all these competing demands placed on me, which makes me feel harder. So, this ambiguity about what I should be doing, or I may even have, like, techno-conflict where I feel like I'm getting competing demands sent to me by different people at the same time, or I have different technologies asking for different things.

What are the biggest barriers to reducing workplace stress caused by technology?

[19:43] I think one of the barriers is really establishing healthy patterns for your communication because we're habitually… this came into our lives; none of us were trained. We set up these high-speed, 24/7 cultures. We said, “Hey, go work anywhere you want to,” but the tax for that was, “Be available all the time.” We've got to change that culture. We've got to become much more mindful, a little bit slower so people can get that reflection and the release from constant pressure so that they can actually do good work. Because what we know is if you're not super busy all the time, you feel better and you do higher-quality work.

SHOW LINKS:

• Jason Bennett Thatcher | Leeds School Of Business Faculty Profile
• Jason Bennett Thatcher | LinkedIn
• Jason Bennett Thatcher | Instagram
• Mitigating technostress is not easy, but it’s doable | London School of Economics Blog
• How to fight ‘technostress’ at work | CU Boulder Today

This episode is all about attainable housing, and how innovation may be able to help first-time home buyers with new options.

Jamie Saunders is a Leeds MBA alumna and the founder of Affix Communities, a startup with a mission to create new ways for potential home buyers to become homeowners. Jamie was inspired by her sister's struggles with fluctuating income and rent increases, shifting from architecture to developing innovative, smaller homes in Colorado for people also struggling.

Jamie explains how the concept of prefabrication, creative land use, and designs that allow for short-term rental income can help make housing more affordable. This episode delves into zoning laws, the housing market, and the strategies being implemented to address the affordability crisis. Jamie also outlines what her company's future could look like, aiming to create a replicable system for developers nationwide and foster accessible homeownership.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

On innovative paths Affix is taking to affordable homeownership

[19:37] One thing that we learned that was kind of mind-boggling while we were doing all of these interviews of potential homebuyers is that it came up again and again that younger folks, they're like, I would love to offset some of the cost of my mortgage by renting out a room, maybe not all the time, maybe just occasionally, maybe just on weekends, whatever works for them. But it did come up quite a bit that that's something that the younger buyer is interested in. So we listened to that, and we designed our pilot home with an area in the back that can be locked off that has its entry bedroom and a private bathroom. So that enables people to make the decision if they want; they can just lock off that area and rent it whenever they want.

How Affix is trying to create affordability in housing

[20:29] There's only two ways to make housing more affordable. The most common way that we see right now is through government subsidy. That's what people usually think of when they hear “affordable housing.” And in that scenario, a house is built, same house, same materials, same, in a lot of cases, almost the same finish quality, even. And then the government will just pay for a portion of the construction costs, which makes the end product cheaper to the consumer. That is not the way that Affix is trying to create affordability. We're trying to create naturally occurring affordability, which means that we are looking for innovative ways to build, more affordable ways to build the actual construction costs, basically. And land costs themselves are actually lower. So, we're not using any kind of government subsidy to accomplish this.

On the impact Jamie hopes to create for Affix in the coming years

[24:32] In five to 10 years, my hope is that we've created a system that can be replicated by developers across the country. And I'm really hoping that we can all work together to bring real starter homes back to America. I think, historically, homeownership has been one of the top ways that Americans have built wealth for themselves and for their families. And that's something that everyone deserves access to. I think there are a lot of developers out there who share my opinion on that. And I think if we all work together, we could really make a big difference in this.

SHOW LINKS:

• Affix Communities | Website
• Jamie Saunders | LinkedIn
• Jamie Saunders | Email Address
• Deming Center for Entrepreneurship | Leeds School of Business
• Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate | Leeds School of Business

Our guest’s latest research is focused on how voters relate to the concepts of truth and factuality, and how personal moral values tend to drive voters more than facts.

Ethan Poskanzer is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ethan studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and is particularly interested in how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.

In his second appearance on the show, Ethan joins our new host Mariz Kuntz to chat about the latest paper he co-authored. We’ll dive into how moral flexibility influences political parties and challenges the efficacy of fact-checking, and ultimately shows us how across political parties, people are more similar than they are different.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

How can we improve our political environment?

[16:55] In the political environment, it would be better if we tried to support candidates who we thought would conduct themselves in a way conducive to the American political system we want to see. Which I would say, frankly, it's not that easy, because I think there's always shades of these behaviors going on, but it's a new variable in my “who am I going to support?” equation.

Politicians reflect what voters reward

[17:44] As voters, I think the point of a democracy is that politicians are going to do what gets them votes, so we're going to get the things that we have demand for in the world. And so, if you say that, hey, there's too much distrust in politics, and there's too much misinformation in politics, you probably shouldn't vote for a candidate to do that because that's going to keep happening. I think this is a case where the politicians do what is rewarded by the voters, so we have the power to kind of create a political environment.

Seeking leaders who value facts over political agendas

[12:08] We see that politicians are not really penalized for saying things that aren't true. And politicians generally are going to do what gets them votes. So to an extent that we want to see this stop, the voters have to hold politicians that do this accountable and not vote for them.

SHOW LINKS:

• Ethan Poskanzer | Leeds School of Business
• Ethan Poskanzer | Personal Website
• Ethan Poskanzer | LinkedIn
• Ethan Poskanzer | Google Scholar
• When Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics

The fall semester is well underway and we are BACK with a brand-new season of Leeds Business Insights!

We know it’s been a minute since we gave you new episodes, and we’ve made a few changes. First, we have a new host, Maria Kuntz! Maria is an inclusive communications and marketing professional, storyteller, and now—podcast host!

In Season 4, we’ll continue to explore the challenges and opportunities facing business leaders and share LBIdeas, key takeaways and actionable insights from each episode.

So meet us right back here on October 30th, and on the last Wednesday of every month. In the meantime, check out past show episodes already available on your favorite podcast platform.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

Our guest today says sales is all about helping buyers make informed purchase decisions and giving them the information they need. But there is so much more nuance behind that simple definition, and what goes on in the day to day of a salesperson. 

So we are thrilled to be discussing applicable lessons from sales that can be useful for any professional with Brian Higgins, a Teaching Assistant Professional at Leeds Business and sales and business development executive. 

Brian joins host Amanda Kramer to talk about misperceptions many have about working in sales, the art of a good conversation, surprising skills taught in sales courses at Leeds, and the unique mentorship opportunities available here.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor for sales students at Leeds, and have 5 years experience employing a sales process with good results, we would love to have you reach out! You can email Brian directly at Brian.Higgins@colorado.edu to learn more.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

The illusion of good and bad personalities

[00:10:02] You know what's interesting is that we suffer from this illusion that we have good personalities and bad personalities. There really is no such thing as a good personality and a bad personality. It's that I have a certain kind of personality, and you have a certain kind of personality. And if we're going to get along, we're probably going to need to flex a little bit so that, you know, we can come together in the middle.

The value of building relationship in sales

[00:02:54] I think what's important is that people understand that no matter how well you communicate, if you don't have the ability to develop some relationship with a person or the people you're selling to, your ability to communicate is not going to be very valuable.

On understanding how to sell

[00:08:12] Even though you may not be employed to sell, understanding how to sell and understanding what's important in order to sell yourself or your ideas can be very, very helpful in your life.

Questions are powerful

[00:14:54] Questions are so powerful. The ability to ask questions that are purposeful and meaningful puts the focus on the other person. It's not about us. It's more about you. Tell me about this. Tell me about that. So the ability to ask questions in a conversation is incredibly powerful.

SHOW LINKS:

Brian Higgins Faculty Profile at the Leeds School of Business

Brock Weatherup is a Leeds alumnus and consumer growth board executive, three-time Exit Startup CEO founder, multi-billion dollar C-suite leader, an active early-stage investor.

He was a dedicated startup guy, who went from churning out successful businesses in the pet food & wellness industry, to receiving a diagnosis that changed the entire course of his life. 

In this episode, he sits down with host Amanda Kramer to discuss his accomplishments, reflect on getting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just 18 months ago, finding comfort in risk, and diving into opportunities even if you don't feel 100% prepared.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

Take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it

[00:25:24] If you don't take risks and don't take stride, you don't know what will happen in life. And it doesn't have to be necessarily a medical thing, but all those other things—how are you going to end up and what are you going to do with it? And the reality is: take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it.

How do you build your comfort with risk and live with a risk forward mentality?

[00:13:06] If you have that personal infrastructure and the intentionality in your life, those two things allow you to find success if you're willing to be open for it. But you have to be ready to go do that and know that, hey, things fail all along the way. Okay. How are you going to get out of it?

On finding the right support system

[00:10:56] Find the people that are supportive, and by supportive, it doesn't mean people who are like, "Yay! You're the best Brock." It doesn't mean that it's the people who are truly there for you and care about you genuinely.

SHOW LINKS:

Brock Weatherup on LinkedIn

So much of our free time is consumed with posting on social media, sharing our day to day lives and crafting a personal narrative or brand online. But how is the effecting our day to day lives, and is it effecting our possibility to truly live in and experience the moments were in?

Today we are discussing the intersection between technology and consumer experiences with Alexandra Barasch, an associate professor at the Leeds School of Business. 

She sits down with host Amanda Kramer to talk all about what makes customers enjoy their experiences, how companies can then create experiences that make consumers more immersed or more engaged in the moment, the pros & cons of 5G and more immersive content, as well as posting posed vs candid photos.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

Authenticity is always the winning strategy

[00:27:30] Authenticity, in my view, is always going to be a winning strategy. How to do that is changing. How to signal that you care about that depends on the segment, it depends on the technology, but it's always going to be what people care about.

How do you find the most genuine content?

[00:19:25] You want to let consumers speak for you. In order to do that, you have to be able to let go. You have to be able to not have full control over your content, and that is how you get the most genuine, authentic content that consumers are sharing and really believe in the product and the brand, and other consumers can judge that very well.

Reducing frictions leads to better conversions

[00:16:46] Reducing friction is only good when consumers are ready to process it, ready to act, and this is going to also lead to better tracking of conversions, better data and metrics, and analytics as well.

You can't compare one social media or type of technology to another.

[00:18:18] There's no one social media or type of technology that's better or worse than the others. It's about the selection effects, where certain types of consumers—younger consumers and consumers that are more technologically savvy—are able to embrace and engage with more varied and diverse formats and more interactive content.

SHOW LINKS:

Alixandra Barasch Faculty Profile at Leeds School of Business

Alixandra Barasch - Google Scholar

In this episode, we are discussing innovation and inclusivity in entrepreneurship with Ethan Poskanzer.

Ethan is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Leeds School of Business, and studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.

Host Amanda Kramer sits down with Ethan to discuss his latest research: the science behind matching entrepreneurs and mentors, some striking data in how gender factors into mentor/mentee relationships, and what we can learn from pitch evaluation & sequencing.

Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.

EPISODE QUOTES:

Why do entrepreneurs need to stick to their convictions?

[00:07:38] One thing that I would encourage entrepreneurs to do is stick to their convictions about what they need help with and to reach out to people who they think can help them, because they know what's going on under the hood more than other people do.

Gender differences in funding referrals

[00:17:42] Women mentors are about equally likely to make a referral for a man, entrepreneur, or a woman entrepreneur. But men mentors were much more likely to make referrals for men. So that meant that through those same-gender relationships, men had greater access to this super coveted resource of introductions to investors and the opportunity to pitch their businesses for funding.

Something to keep in mind in the entrepreneurial process

[00:24:31] That's something important to keep in mind that an organization is designing a process to select new ideas to fund an investment that you think of. We need to be really careful about defining the criteria that we're going to use to select this. 

SHOW LINKS:

Ethan Poskanzer Faculty Profile at Leeds School of Business

Ethan Poskanzer - Personal Website

Paper: Who Becomes an Inventor in America? The Importance of Exposure to Innovation, by Alex Bell, Raj Chetty, Xavier Jaravel, Neviana Petkova, John Van Reenen