Book and Learning Circles

Implicit Bias, Stereotype Threat, and Higher Education [Learning Circle]

What is the role of implicit bias? What is stereotype threat? And how do these impact the student experience, and all of our experience. In this talk, Russell McClain examines the role of implicit bias and stereotype threat—the fear of confirming another’s biased views—in creating achievement gaps in higher education. Join Lanaya Gaberel and your campus colleagues to explore these concepts and learn one of several interventions for interrupting stereotype threat.

• Facilitator: Lanaya Gaberel, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: April 11 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Location: Zoom

Mastering Community: The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us From Surviving to Thriving [Book Circle]

Dr. Christine Porath studies how workplace culture impacts individuals with the goal of creating organizations that thrive. Dr. Porath’s research has demonstrated that when people feel a sense of community at work, they are more engaged and more likely to feel "energized, alive, and growing." She also found that a sense of community guards against burnout. Join this book circle to learn how community supports personal wellbeing. Learn why community can make such a difference in our work experience, and how to build a sense of community and belonging to create communities that thrive.

• How to Access the Book: Upon registration close, a complimentary copy of this book will be provided to participants.
• Facilitator: Lisa Gray, University Personnel
• Time and Date: April 12, April 19 and April 26 | 2:10 PM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Zoom

The Upside of Uncertainty: A Guide to Finding Possibility in the Unknown [Book Circle]

In The Upside of Uncertainty, INSEAD professor Nathan Furr and entrepreneur Susannah Harmon Furr provide a guide to embracing uncertainty and transforming it into a force for good. Drawing from hundreds of interviews, along with pioneering research in psychology, innovation, and behavioral economics, this book provides the inspiration, tools, and strategies you need to thrive through the inevitable plot twists in your life and career.

• How to Access the Book: Upon registration close, a complimentary copy of this book will be provided to participants.
• Facilitator: Jeffrey Williams, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: April 14, April 21 and April 28 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Location: Zoom

Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do [Book Circle]

Through personal stories and research results, the book author of Whistling Vivaldi, Claude M. Steele, paints a compelling picture of how simply being aware of negative stereotypes toward our social group diminishes our ability to perform. The author described how he came across the psychological phenomenon he named "stereotype threat" and how this phenomenon fundamentally changed the way psychologists thought about how stereotypes shape our lives. He sheds light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays outs a plan for mitigating these "stereotype threats" and reshaping American identities.

• How to Access the Book: Upon registration close, a complimentary copy of this book will be provided to participants.
• Facilitators: Lanaya Gaberel, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: April 26, May 3 and May 10 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
• Location: Zoom

How to Write Less but Say More [Learning Circle]

Jim VandeHei engagingly shares how to communicate more clearly and concisely in our distracted world. Join us for tips that will help you transform your writing. Help the people you are communicating with get the information they need while you both get some time back.

• Facilitator: Jeff Williams, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: May 12 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Location: Zoom

The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More [Book Circle]

Raser-Rowland and Grubb offer a refreshing and unconventional approach to living a more enjoyable and fulfilling life by combining frugality and hedonism. The authors argue that modern society’s consumerism has contributed to people working longer hours, accumulating more possessions, and ultimately sacrificing their happiness and wellbeing in the process. They offer a compelling case for a more fulfilling and sustainable way of life that can be achieved by embracing frugality and simplicity, while still enjoying the pleasures and joys of life. The book offers practical tips, including strategies for reducing expenses, simplifying daily routines and prioritizing experiences over possessions. The authors also explore the psychology behind consumerism and provide insights into how our mindset and values shape our spending habits. Readers are encouraged to rethink their relationship with money and consumption. What better time than now, with inflation on the rise, to learn how to, not only manage your spending, but invest in your wellbeing.

• How to Access the Book: Upon registration close, a complimentary copy of this book will be provided to participants.
• Facilitator: Dani Gaeta, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: May 16, May 23 and May 30 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
• Location: Zoom

3 Rules for Better Work-Life Balance [Learning Circle]

Have you answered a work email during an important family event? Or taken a call from your boss while on vacation? According to behavioral scientist and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans, an "always–on" work culture is not only ruining our personal wellbeing, but our work as well. Whillans shares which bad habits are stopping us from getting what we need out of our free time, and three practical steps for setting boundaries that stick.

• Facilitator: Dani Gaeta, Employee and Organization Development
• Time and Date: June 9 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
• Location: Zoom

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) also hosts book circles each quarter and you can learn more about their offerings by selecting “Book Circles” on their Programs and Services webpage at: https://ctlt.calpoly.edu/programs-services.