Krista Tippett On Being

 Written by Lakeside Contributor Caitlin Lorraine Johnson

Essayist and Professor at Mercy College  

It's no secret to our colleagues and friends that our favorite podcast is On Being by Krista Tippett. Listening to her soothing voice and insightful observations is a much needed escape. Tippet’s guests come from a variety of backgrounds, yet their conversations inevitably center around the question of how to lead a more humane and meaningful life. Some (like poet Mary Oliver) gravitate towards nature and language, others (like actor Martin Sheen) towards performance and advocacy. Ideally our professions incorporate or facilitate our interests, but what happens when they don’t?

Krista Tippet’s conversation with organizational psychologist and New York Times best-selling author of Give and Take Dr. Adam Grant proposes strategies to bridge the discrepancy between what we care about and what we do. In high school, Dr. Grant was neither “too slow for track, too short for basketball, and too weak for football.” So with the help of a dedicated coach, he took up diving (eventually qualifying twice for the Junior Olympics and diving at the NCAA level in college). Morning after morning, Grant peeled a swim cap over his hair, the curved edge rubbing into the delicate skin at the back of his neck, pulled goggles over his eyes, and braced his body for a fall. As he stood on the edge of the slim board, his calves tensed and his feet prepared to flex behind him in the air. He had within himself everything he needed to succeed… except water. No preparation, talent or willingness will enable us to succeed in an environment that does not contain the essential component of our success. In Dr. Grant's conversation with Krista Tippet, Successful Givers, Toxic Takers, and the Life We Spend at Work, he suggests that the essential component of success is a sense of purpose and generosity. 

Listen to more of Dr. Grant’s suggestions for cultivating these qualities in the workplace here