Science of Habits
Topic:
In this seminar, we will discuss the science behind forming habits.
Readings:
Good Habits, Bad Habits by Ann M. Graybiel and Kyle S. Smith
Habits by T.W. Robbins and Rui M. Costa
Atomic Habits (James Clear) Summary by B.C. Marx
Discussion Questions:
What habits have you been successful at forming (or breaking)? What habits have you been unsuccessful at forming (or breaking)? Is there any thing that stands out in your mind as a driver of this result? Were there more external or internal drivers? These can be professional, personal, social, anything!
We always hear about companies with strong ‘culture’. It seems like ‘culture’ may be boiled down to a collection of habits amongst a group of people. Can we apply personal habit forming/breaking to an organization or our teams?
Habits seems to stem from patterns and regularity. Where does this fit in our professional lives? What do you think is the effectiveness of the weekly/bi-weekly “Status” or “Check-in” Meeting?
A strong value to companies is the idea of the ‘repeat customer’. This implies creating habits in the customers. When does this go too far? With the creation of ‘freemium’ games/apps and social media in general, many of the revenues for companies are from repeat customers that may be considered borderline addictions. Do companies have moral responsibilities when creating their products?
