These resources have been compiled to offer some examples of the science and practice of behavioral sciences, design thinking, biomimicry, and meditation.
Behavioral Sciences
- David & Tom Kelley’s book Creative Confidence contains many insights from the godfather of behavioral science, Al Bandura.
- The book Influencer is an easy-to-read application of behavioral science to organizational behavior with many case studies and resources.
- Dan Pink’s book Drive, about motivation, distills the critical principles for how people are motivated to make changes in their lives.
- Community-based social marketing by Doug Mckenzie-Mohr is a simplified approach to community-based social marketing.
- Bob Cialdini’s work on influence is famous for techniques like foot-in-the-door, and reciprocity, which can be applied to goals that improve environmental and social conditions.
- In Fast Company, the world’s leading progressive business media brand describes the importance of design thinking as an indispensable tool in driving a business or brand forward, and outlines four key process steps in this article.
- This article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review describes how the process of design thinking can aid in solving complex social problems.
- Stanford d.school’s design thinking materials are available for anyone to download and use, and offer a generic set of process steps.
- Design thinking resources from Extreme by Design and for educators can be very helpful for projects focused on learning and teaching.
- In this article by Innovation Excellence, as well as this article by Bruce Nussbaum, it is argued that design thinking is limited, and that a more holistic approach that includes science and business thinking is necessary for success.
- Biomimicry Principles for Business provide important guidelines for companies that want to succeed in meaningful ways.
- This article from Bloomberg Business about breakthrough designs and inventions inspired by nature.
- A United Nations University article on Emulating Nature’s Genius on emulating nature’s genius talks about bringing nature and technology together.
- Biomimicry 3.8 harnesses the science of biomimicry, offering many resources, including Life’s Principles, which encapsulate universal guidelines from nature.
- The National Bioneers Conference is an annual gathering in October that integrates science, entrepreneurship, social justice, spirituality and environmentalism.
- Zen meditation transformed former Apple CEO Steve Jobs‘ life and career, and can be instrumental in making life, work changes.
- 10 companies that support employee meditation show the power of leveraging the human mind, and prominent business executives who meditate share their experiences in this article.
- 20 reasons from science about why it’s good to meditate indicate the integrative benefits we can harness from this daily practice.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a resourceful approach to mindfulness pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn that can be transformative.
- A guide to mindfulness at work from Forbes Leadership shows that top companies like Google and Apple use mindfulness techniques and resources.
- Dr. Emma Seppälä’s book, The Happiness Track, explores the science behind happiness, calmness, meditation, and play as foundations and accelerators of success.
- Reiki is now going mainstream in hospitals as an alternative healing technique.
- Guided Visualization (also called Guided Imagery) is a technique that can relax and empower individuals and groups.
- When work and life balance, everyone wins: the future of work is balance, not the rat race; in other words, we need to work smarter, not harder. One framework is the four-way win, and we provide many other frameworks and resources tailored to each client’s context.
- Using an urban case study, this article by Dr. Norman Cameron, Principal of Cense Research + Design, unpacks the complexity of creating social change, and describes the resources offered by design thinking and systems thinking when developing an effective structure for social innovation.
- Companies that are doing well by doing good demonstrate that ethical principles are good for business; and companies with Cradle to Cradle certification are leading the way in practicing true sustainability.
- Eleven companies considered best for the environment provide resources that help to restore and regenerate the earth.
- Stanford Social Innovation Review of The Business Solution to Poverty provides principles for how to alleviate poverty using business as a vehicle.