Resources
Simon Sinek & Trevor Noah on Friendship, Loneliness, Vulnerability, and More (YouTube)
Join Simon Sinek and Trevor Noah in this candid discussion where they dig into the critical role of friendships in mental health, success, and happiness. Simon argues that while we’re constantly improving ourselves as leaders and professionals, we neglect the deep, emotional bonds that help us thrive.
Simon and Trevor also discuss the loneliness epidemic among young men and its link to dangerous ideologies, and why teaching the value of true friendship could change society. Watch as they share stories and insights that will inspire you to nurture your friendships and live a more balanced life.
The value of belonging at work (HBR)
Social belonging is a fundamental human need, hardwired into our DNA. And yet, 40% of people say that they feel isolated at work, and the result has been lower organizational commitment and engagement. In a nutshell, companies are blowing it. U.S. businesses spend nearly 8 billion dollars each year on diversity and inclusion (D&I) trainings that miss the mark because they neglect our need to feel included.
Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation (pdf)
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. One page summary.
Loneliness in America: Just the tip of the iceberg? (pdf)
Even before the pandemic, loneliness was a major public health concern in the United States. And yet, loneliness may be just the tip of the iceberg. A quick overview of the paper.
The Cure for Loneliness with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (YouTube)
Loneliness has reached epidemic proportions. Where do we go to feel like we belong?
As the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy has been a leading voice in bringing the loneliness crisis to light, stressing its devastating impact on public health. As his second term nears its end, he leaves behind a powerful reflection in his letter, "My Parting Prescription for America and the World".
In an insightful conversation with Dr. Murthy, we delve into what it truly means to be healthy—not just physically, but emotionally and socially—and discuss why the pursuit of fame, wealth, and power often leads us further from what we really need.
Mistakenly Seeking Solitude (PDF)
Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder University of Chicago
Connecting with others increases happiness, but strangers in close proximity routinely ignore each other. Why? Two reasons seem likely: Either solitude is a more positive experience than interacting with strangers, or people misunderstand the consequences of distant social connections. To examine the experience of connecting to strangers, we instructed commuters on trains and buses to connect with a stranger near them, to remain disconnected, or to commute as normal…..
How one group is taking on the problem of male loneliness (YouTube)
The surgeon general says male loneliness should be considered a national epidemic. For "Eye on America," Mark Strassmann takes a look at how one group in Massachusetts is helping men open up and be more vulnerable with each other.
The power of work friends (HBR)
Despite claiming “people are our greatest asset,” too many executives still expect employees to leave their personal lives at the door when they come to work. Yet Gallup data shows that having a best friend at work is strongly linked to business outcomes…
We don't have to fight loneliness alone (Audio)
Many workplaces have become increasingly lonely, even before the coronavirus pandemic made more of us literally remote. It's not just an unpleasant feeling -- loneliness can hurt our health and our job performance. Find out why it's time for happy hours to finally die -- and how it might take less than a minute to start building real connections.
Why we’re lonely (YouTube)
We're in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. The WHO has declared loneliness a 'global health concern,' and everyone wants to know how we can solve this crisis. Jared Henderson takes a look at how we got so lonely.