High Potential + Zero Opportunity = A Tragic Waste

By Michelle Malay Carter on April 22, 2009 

On a similar note as my post, Cognitive Surplus Gone Bad at San Diego State, it turns out the surviving teenage Somali pirate was?not just a flunky, he was the ring leader.? According to the AP and the Fort Worth Star Telegram, “Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse grew up destitute in Somalia, the oldest of 12 children […]

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Positive Manifestations of Overhiring and Underutilization

By Michelle Malay Carter on May 14, 2008 

Last week, I asked you how you channeled your cognitive surplus. One reader responded by saying that she created and carried out extra work. This is a fabulous thing for an employee to do. However, when you have people mismatched to roles, dysfunction can strike as quickly as the paparazzi on Britney Spears. Two examples […]

Filed Under Employee Engagement, Felt Fair Compensation, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Talent Management, Work Levels | 4 Comments

Cognitive Surplus Gone Bad at San Diego State

By Michelle Malay Carter on May 13, 2008 

I guess the demands of the college life and fraternity membership aren’t enough to keep all students occupied. High cognitive capacity + Character issues = Trouble Undercover agents busted 128 suspected drug dealers at San Diego State University last week. Even Criminals Use Work Levels During the investigation, agents posing as students found their way […]

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What to Do with Our Cognitive Surplus? A Friday Funny

By Michelle Malay Carter on May 8, 2008 

Paul Hebert at Fistful of Talent does a nice job of summarizing the issue of “cognitive surplus” that he ran across on Barry L. Ritholtz’s The Big Picture blog.? One in Five Employees is Underutilized These ideas line up nicely with my posts this week and our research that says 1 in 5 employees is […]

Filed Under Employee Engagement, High Potential, Requisite Organization, Talent Management | 6 Comments