TOMORROWMIND

Advice for maintaining workers’ well-being.

In her debut book, Kellerman, a medical doctor who pivoted from MRI brain research to public health policy and health care technology, joins with prolific Seligman, a founder of the field of positive behavioral psychology, to offer salient perspectives on the future of work. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, educational theory, and medical research, they offer guidance on honing skills and perspectives to help individuals succeed in an ever changing work environment. As labor has transformed from hunting-gathering to agriculture to industrialization, success has depended on an important set of skills: resilience (R), finding meaning (M), establishing social supports (S), and honing prospection (P) (the ability to think about the future) and innovation (I)—abilities to which they give the admittedly “out of order” acronym PRISM. Each chapter elaborates on these skills and suggests ways for developing them. Finding meaning is crucial for job satisfaction and can result from factors such as a sense of personal or professional growth; finding a balance between work and personal life; and feeling inspired by one’s contributions. But even more important than meaning, the authors assert, is mattering: “one’s sense of the difference one makes in the world.” Social connections, as well, are integral to work satisfaction, affecting us psychologically and physiologically. The authors suggest ways to overcome a perception of “time famine” that can get in the way of fostering rapport, and they advocate soliciting participation, encouraging the sharing of perspectives, and empathetic listening as strategies to bridge isolation. The book is filled with exercises for building skills, acronyms for easy recall (OCEAN, for example, describes five personality traits—such as openness and curiosity—associated with creativity), and relatable anecdotes. The authors offer suggestions for businesses about how to make corporate cultures more supportive of workers. Even in an unpredictable, roiling future, the authors are optimistic that every worker can flourish.

Practical, encouraging self-help for the workplace.