What "Severance" teaches about corporate dysfunction

If you're unable to identify and tap into the emotional current that runs underneath every conversation, you may end up in a conflict you don't understand, write Karin Hurt and David Dye, who recommend the "Reflect to Connect" method that entails paying attention to body language and tone of voice and naming the emotion and checking for understanding. The approach may feel uncomfortable, so practice in low-stakes situations first, Hurt and Dye recommend.

Put it into practice: If you misread the emotion of your conversation partner don't worry, because if they correct you, then you have more insight into ways to deepen the conversation and the connection, Hurt and Dye write. "The next time you find yourself in a tense conversation, pause. Take a breath. Reflect back what you think the other person feels and ask if you're right."

Staying on Top of Regulations. Sixty-five percent of you report having a very solid handle on the laws and regulations that apply to your business. If you're in the 35% that identifies otherwise, consider studying up on laws and regulations.

Whether they're tax, accounting, safety, government reporting, intellectual property or security laws and regulations, they're important to understand and comply with. They also change quite frequently and there are often substantial penalties associated with non-compliance. While they're not necessarily the most fun topics to delve into, the outsized impact they can have on you and your organization merits their attention.

Find experts in the field and consult them. Identify sources of information updates and check in on them regularly. You don't want to be on the wrong side of a law or regulation when the authorities come around.

-- Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS, which includes TITAN -- the firm's e-learning platform. Previously, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He is a West Point graduate and author of three leadership books: "One Piece of Paper," "Lead Inside the Box" and "The Elegant Pitch."

The "leadership playground" at Lego nurtures behaviors like bravery, focus and curiosity, says Chief People Officer Loren Shuster, who explains that the volunteer playground builders ensure broad representation and buy-in across the company. "It came from you; this is built for you, by you, and not by a bunch of executives who may or may not be in touch with what's happening in every part of the organization. It has a built-in mechanism of representation," says Shuster.

Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered that northern cricket frogs use a unique method to move across water by performing rapid belly flops, according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology. This method involves the frogs briefly submerging before launching themselves upwards, creating an illusion of walking on water.

I am eagerly awaiting Friday's second season premiere of "Severance" on AppleTV+. I started watching it out of curiosity, and the second or third episode hooked me. The cliffhanger from season one has kept me dreaming up scenarios of what may be to come this season. When you can't stop thinking about the show, that's when you know it's good!

Alex Snider's take on the dystopian vision of work the show presents is eye-opening in its comparisons to what happens in many offices. Our employer may not sever our memories of work and home, but often, our work life can feel like a drudgery.

For those in the show, they spend their days corralling numbers on a screen into little digital boxes. They go by feeling, sorting numbers that are "scary" or those that make them feel good. Since they don't know the purpose of their work, it seems pointless and doesn't provide a feeling of being part of a mission that's larger than themselves.

The rewards for doing a good job are pointless, too, such as paper finger traps, waffle parties or an egg bar. Penalties for stepping out of line are also harsh as employees are sent to the "break room" to repeat a written apology, sometimes hundreds of times, until their supervisor believes that they mean it.

None of these people, from the boss on down, are allowed to bring their whole creative selves into the workplace, so nothing causes a sense of purpose or connection.

"The series resonates because it captures the disconnection many of us feel in our workplaces," Snider writes. "As we enjoy 'Severance,' here's my challenge: Let's create workplaces so human-centered that 'Severance' feels like a far-off dystopia, not a stinging critique of how we work."

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