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RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
The risks of having 'yes men' in a business
Analysis: Sycophantic behaviour in the workplace has been found to reduce respect and morale and lead to lower productivity Since the start of his second term in office, US president Donald Trump has cultivated a political atmosphere that discourages freedom of thought. He also actively villainises and punishes any dissenting opinion. Worryingly, this atmosphere looks like it is spreading across other democracies. Commentators have described Trump as both narcissistic and authoritarian. Yet, running parallel to these factors, one character trait is glaringly common among Trump supporters: sycophancy. You just have to examine the pre-election rhetoric of Trump loyalists. One backer, Stephen Miller, declared him "the most stylish president ... in our lifetimes". Miller is now deputy White House chief of staff. From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, why flattery gets you everywhere South Dakota governor Kristi Noem gifted Trump a four-foot Mount Rushmore replica, with Trump's face added alongside the original four presidents. Noem, who is now secretary of homeland security, epitomises the elevation of loyal sycophants over those with arguably better credentials. Research has examined the dangers of sycophantic behaviour in the workplace, finding it reduces peer respect and morale, and leads to dissonance and lower productivity. Other research has shown that someone who chooses to employ these tactics can enjoy improved promotion prospects, rewards such as the first refusal on business trips, easier access to company resources and a higher salary compared to their peers. But studies have also shown sycophants often suffer emotional exhaustion from the dual stresses of manipulation and responsibility. Ongoing research by the author on workplace sycophancy reveals similar patterns. Interviews, spanning from junior staff to CEOs, show reduced motivation, falling team morale and declining respect for sycophants. From RTÉ Brainstorm, my boss is a psychopath - why bad people get good jobs One participant highlighted the effect on teamwork that sycophantic behaviour can have within the workplace. Sycophancy means raising yourself in somebody's esteem, at the expense of somebody else, on the ladder. And so... it's going to impact upon on the ability to be part of a team. Another participant offered a comparison to a different deviant workplace behaviour – intimidation. I'd say that sycophantic behaviour is coming into the same category as bullying. And it's hard sometimes, especially with bullying and sycophantic behaviour, you are dealing with a lot of people that are manipulative, and manipulating people are quite charismatic. And when you're charismatic, you're more believable because you're a storyteller. One solution that emerges from the research is workforce education – teaching employees to recognise and mitigate a culture of ingratiation. As an employee, many people might find it difficult not to bow to peer pressure. If the senior colleague encourages and rewards those who suck up, how do other colleagues, who do not choose to utilise such tactics, compete? Dangerous ideas take root Another factor to consider is the tendency for some workers to "kiss up and kick down". What this means is that staff who are lower down the hierarchical ladder suffer detrimental treatment from the colleagues who are trying to suck their way up the same ladder. From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, everything we need to know about power dynamics in the workplace If workforces were educated on what these tactics looked and felt like, perhaps included in corporate codes of conduct, HR departments and management could identify potential issues and deal with them. But this is not merely an HR concern. Previous research also shows a link between ingratiation, high turnover rates and poorer performance by the organisation as a whole. Perhaps the most insidious aspect of sycophancy is the push for conformity when it comes to opinions. If leadership hears nothing but agreement, dangerous ideas can be reinforced. Things like the leader's own skills or the competence of the organisation as a whole can become wildly exaggerated – with disastrous consequences. When leaders are surrounded by "yes-men", they're deprived of critical input that could challenge assumptions or highlight potential flaws. This can lead to cognitive entrenchment where decision-makers become overconfident and resistant to change. Bad decisions then proceed unchecked, often escalating into systemic failures. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, how to say no at work In return, this can lead to groupthink, a phenomenon where a desire for harmony overrides rational evaluation. Environments that suffer from groupthink often ignore red flags, silence whistleblowers and overvalue consensus. All of these things are damaging to an organisation's ability to remain agile and competitive. Which brings us back to Trump. In his case this isn't a corporate crisis. It's a geopolitical one. At stake is not shareholder value but national security and global stability. With sycophants backing poor decisions, the risk ranges from damaged diplomacy to outright conflict. If loyalty replaces truth, the cost could be catastrophic. Trump's regime may ultimately collapse under the weight of its own delusions – but the collateral damage could be profound.
RTÉ News
21-05-2025
- Science
- RTÉ News
How solar power forecasting can help maximise your solar panels
Analysis: As solar becomes a significant part of our energy system, there are challenges in effectively forecasting and managing solar energy production By Maeve Upton and James Sweeney, UL In recent months, Ireland has seen a rapid surge in solar energy production. A new record for grid-scale solar power was set on the March 25th last, reaching 750 Megawatts at a single moment - enough to power about 750,000 homes at once. But as electricity from solar becomes an increasingly significant component of our energy system, challenges arise in effectively forecasting and managing variability of solar energy production, at both household and national levels. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, there has been a significant growth in solar capacity in Ireland Solar panels convert sunlight or solar irradiance, into electricity, which varies throughout the day. The amount of power produced depends on several factors, including the characteristics of the panel and the solar irradiance it receives. There are many different solar panel systems available with varying panel characteristics. If you're considering installing solar panels, check out this guide which covers everything from panel selection to financial incentives. Solar irradiance is the amount of sunlight reaching the ground and is the biggest drivers of variability in electricity production. During the day, the three main sources of variability are the sun's position, cloud cover and panel temperature. Position of the sun The sun follows a predictable daily (diurnal) cycle—rising in the east and setting in the west —and also changes with the seasons. In the northern hemisphere, the sunniest months are typically May and June. From RTÉ Brainstorm, all you need to know about putting solar panels on your roof Cloud cover Cloud cover can block or scatter sunlight, significantly reducing the amount of solar irradiance reaching the surface of the solar panel. Solar power output drops each time a cloud passes over the solar panel. Unlike the sun's position, cloud cover is much harder to predict, especially in Ireland's temperate maritime climate. Higher temperatures Higher temperatures can reduce the efficiency of the solar PV panel. Though weather forecasts can quantify this, the effect on solar power output requires local-level estimates. What is solar power forecasting? Solar power forecasting is the process of predicting the amount of solar radiation (sunlight) reaching Earth's surface at a specific location and time. This is crucial for managing solar energy production, integrating renewable energy into power grids and ensuring energy system stability. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, can Ireland reach solar targets set out in Climate Action Plan? How does it work? To forecast solar power at a specific time and location, we need three key components: input data (solar PV system such as orientation and weather), astronomical calculations on the sun's position and a model combining them. The input data provides information about weather conditions, while astronomical calculations determine the position of the sun. These elements are combined within a forecasting model to estimate the solar power output. The input data has three main sources. The most accurate is ground-based measurements from meteorological stations managed by Met Éireann. They record high quality solar irradiance data in real time, but are limited to their 20 stations around Ireland. An alternative source is reanalysis datasets, which provide estimates of solar irradiance by blending historical weather observations with advanced numerical weather models. While reanalysis data offers consistent and spatially complete coverage, it is not available in real time and typically lags by about five days. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Teagasc's Barry Caslin on a renewed push for rooftop solar on farm sheds The final source is satellite data, which provides valuable observations of solar irradiance and cloud cover. However, these measurements can vary significantly if the instruments are not regularly calibrated and maintained, an effort that requires consistent investment and funding. In addition to these data sources, astronomical calculations are performed to determine the sun's position in the sky and day length based on the time of year. These calculations are essential for accurately estimating the potential solar irradiance. Once we've selected our input data and calculated the sun's position, we apply models to convert solar power observed on a horizontal (flat) surface to that received on a tilted surface—matching the orientation and size of the specific solar panel system. This step is crucial for estimating how much power a real system could generate. If you're curious about what your solar panels could do, check out the GREEN-GRID app. This uses advanced data-driven modelling tools to estimate real-time solar power, giving hourly insights for homeowners across Ireland. What are the challenges for solar power in Ireland? While Ireland's progress in solar power adoption is promising, several challenges complicate accurate forecasting and integration into the grid. These challenges highlight the need for better forecasting and more flexible grid systems to ensure that the growing share of renewable energy is fully captured and effectively used. From a forecasting perspective, models can be highly effective but their accuracy is limited by the quality and resolution of the input data the integration side, one significant challenge is dispatch down, when renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, is reduced or curtailed because the electricity grid cannot accommodate all of the power being generated at a given time. As a result, some renewable energy is available but not used, which can reduce the overall efficiency of the system and delay the full benefits of clean energy investment. Another issue is the limited visibility of microgeneration, such as roof-top solar, which is often excluded from official reports. Similarly, embedded generation, which refers to electricity generated and used locally, is not consistently measured, though recent reports suggest improvements are planned.
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
All you need to know about joint pain
Analysis: The recommended treatment for most joint conditions is appropriate exercise and education on how to manage pain during daily activities Joint pain is a common issue for people of all ages and is the reason for over 20% of GP appointments. Given that many of these appointments are repeat visits, combined with the dire state of our outpatient orthopaedic waiting lists (over 64,000 waiting at present), it is clear that these conditions are not being managed well by a large number of people in Ireland. The recommended treatment for most joint conditions is appropriate exercise and education on how to manage pain during daily activities. Unfortunately, misconceptions about prolonged joint pain can be a stumbling block for people starting a new activity or treatment programme. From E3 Rehab, everything you need to know about knee osteoarthritis and the exercises to deal with it Prolonged, or chronic pain in a joint (such as osteoarthritis) is different from an acute or traumatic joint injury (eg torn ligament), in that it usually lasts for a period of greater than three months. Pain has an important protective role in our bodies, like an alarm alerting us if something is wrong. But if pain persists for longer than the typical healing period, it no longer serves a protective role and can negatively impact our health and quality of life. Understanding the science of pain and recognising the types of things that influence your pain can be a huge step in learning to live well these joint conditions. A joint is where two bones meet and allows for our bodies to move. The surfaces of these bones are covered by a tough, slippery material called cartilage and an enclosed lubricating synovial fluid. We used to think that conditions like osteoarthritis were all about the cartilage getting damaged or "worn out", but we now know that there are much more complex things happening in the joint. From RTÉ Brainstorm, all you need to know about back pain We see changes to the cartilage, the bone and the surrounding soft tissues (ligaments and muscles). We also see more inflammatory markers in the joint fluid, meaning that your joint condition can also be affected by things like obesity, sedentary lifestyles and even the types of diets that we choose. Do I need an MRI to understand what is happening? Unless there has been a specific injury or trauma to the joint, there is no need to get an MRI for joint pain. Even an X-ray is no longer recommended to diagnose conditions like osteoarthritis. While the damaged structures in a joint can be a source of pain, almost one in two people over 40 years of age have "damaged" knee joints on imaging and experience no pain. Findings on an MRI scan, such as cartilage defects, meniscal tears and bone bruises/spurs, should not be a source of worry. We now know they are likely a normal part of ageing – just like wrinkles on the skin! From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, Consultant Physician at Galway University Hospital John Carey on back pain and overreliance on MRI scans Does increased pain mean my condition is getting worse? Our beliefs, past experiences and worries can all influence the pain we feel. If we take a walk in the woods in Ireland and feel a scratch on our leg, we may not pay any attention to it. If we take a walk in the outback in Australia, we may respond a lot differently to a scratch if we know there are dangerous snakes in the vicinity. Our bodies react to a potential threat in a different way if we attribute pain to "damage". Muscles are more tense, our stress response increases, which heightens the pain we feel. It can be very reassuring to know that pain does not mean there is any damage occurring to the structure of the joint, and does not mean the condition is getting worse. Temporary fluctuations in pain are very normal and can be exacerbated by increased day-to-day stress in our lives, a poor night's sleep or starting an activity that we are not used to. Should I stop exercising if my joint hurts? It is very important to exercise if you have a joint condition, but it is important to identify when activity needs to be modified. Less activity won't protect the joint, and your overall health will suffer in as little as two weeks if you stop completely. It may be helpful to know that it is safe to continue to exercise when you experience your familiar pain, as long as the pain is acceptable to you. From RTÉ Brainstorm, why some runners get injured - and how to stop it happening You can also expect the pain to reduce the more you exercise if you use the following two guiding rules: (i) a pain rating of 5 or less on a scale from 0 to 10 while exercising is considered OK or acceptable and (ii) your pain should return to your baseline level within 24 hours. This can help you to decide if you are ready to progress your exercise or if you need to reduce the duration, change your activity type or take more rest breaks. While following these rules, even people with moderate to severe osteoarthritis who had been scheduled for joint replacement surgery were able to complete a 12-week progressive exercise programme with acceptable levels of pain. In fact, three in four of those who took part in the programme felt well enough to opt out of surgery in the next year. Is surgery inevitable if I have joint pain? Most types of joint pain resolve with appropriate management. The vast majority of people, even with conditions like osteoarthritis, do not get worse over time and do not need a total joint replacement. While many people may be familiar with being told "it's not bad enough YET to get surgery", chances are it never will be. Surgery should only be considered when pain is severely impacting on quality of life and when recommended treatments of exercise and lifestyle management have been adequately trialled. Surgery should only be considered when pain is severely impacting on quality of life More information on how to manage your pain, including safe exercises for joint conditions such as hip and knee osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain, lateral hip pain and degenerative meniscal tears, can be found on the Joint Pain website. This website was co-designed with experts, healthcare professionals and people with joint conditions in Ireland, with the support of a Health Research Board Knowledge Translation Award (KTA-2022-023). This information is based on research evidence but should not replace individualised advice offered to you by your healthcare professional.
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Note to Generation X workers: the workplace is always changing
Analysis: Historical analysis provides a harsh truth that people who bank on the world of work never changing are likely to lose out The world of work is always changing and rarely for the better. The career woes of Generation X workers, those born between 1965 and 1980, have been widely discussed, and there are some genuinely worrying trends. A recent New York Times article channels R.E.M to start with the ominous claim that "it's the end of work as we knew it". This article details how whole industries, especially those involving creativity such as magazine publishing, writing for TV and movies and graphic design, are in free fall. Rapid developments in technology, especially artificial intelligence are swiftly making once lucrative jobs obsolete. As a result, many Gen X workers who invested in building careers in these fields are finding it impossible to make a living. From RTÉ Brainstorm, why do we work? There have been numerous such news stories, opinion pieces and reports dealing with the changing nature of work over the last 25 to 30 years. Some deal with the role of technology, others with where we work, especially the swift rise and the apparently swift decline in remote work as the pandemic waxed and waned. There are also pieces which cover who we work for (the rise of the gig economy) and changes in workforce personnel (such as the increasing presence of women, immigrants and older workers in many workplaces). As an organisational psychologist, I have been reading books about the changing nature of work since the 1990s. The theme of all these books, articles and reports is that things are not the same as they used to be and that workplace, careers, co-workers and the like are often worse than they used to be. The complaint that things are not the same as they used to be, and usually worse than they once were, has a long pedigree. The sentiment that "Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents, and everyone is writing a book" has been attributed variously to Cicero, Socrates and ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform fragments. From RTÉ Radio 1's Brendan O'Connor Show, what is the workplace like for Gen Z? While its exact provenance is very much in doubt, there is no doubt that the idea that things are not the same and not as good as they used to has been with us for a very long time. The idea that the world of work is rapidly changing (usually for the worse) is part of a much longer set of complaints about how the world is getting worse each day, but much of what has been written about the changing nature of work in the last 30 years assumes that this is a recent change. It isn't. In a chapter written with Warren Tierney in The Cambridge Handbook of the Changing Nature of Work, I have argued that the belief that the world of work is changing is in large part the result of making the wrong comparisons. Particularly in the US, the period from 1945 to 1980 represented an unusual period of growth and stability when it was possible for a single breadwinner to develop a career that would support him (at this time, breadwinners were almost always male) and his family in relative comfort, often working for the same company for decades. This deeply unusual time led many people to expect that a steady career in the same field, and often in the same company, was the norm and that the workplace would not change in meaningful ways. But if you take a longer perspective, massive changes in the world of work have been common and often jolting. Two examples stand out as particularly important and illustrative. First, the proportion of the workforce engaged in agriculture has changed massively over the last 75 years and has undergone almost a complete transformation over the last 150 years. From FutureNow, the truth about Generation X Across the world, there has been a decisive shift from an economy where most families worked on a small farm to economies where industry and or knowledge work have become the dominant form of work. The change from agricultural economies to industrial economies changed where people lived, who they interacted with and when and how they worked - and these changes dwarf the changes we are witnessing in the current economy. Much of what has been written in the last 30 years about the changing world of work has focused on the role of technology, and the implication is that we are going through an unprecedented technological revolution. Technology is changing, but we have gone much through bigger technological revolutions in the past, particularly the introduction of the automobile. In 1900, there were over 20 million horses in the United States. The business or raising horses, feeding and stabling them and cleaning up after them (many of the beautiful brownstone houses in New York City are set six to eight feet above the street in part because the streets were often filled with horse manure at the time they were built,) represented a major part of the economy. The woes faced by Gen X workers in creative fields are nothing compared to the problems of saddle makers, blacksmiths or those involved in the manufacture of horse-drawn vehicles in the US in the early 1900s. From TED, social psychologist Leah Georges on how generational stereotypes hold us back at work The world of work is changing, and often in scary and unpredictable ways, but this is the historical norm, not the exception. We have been lulled into a nostalgia for that deeply unusual period in the 1950s to 1970s when the world of work seemed stable and predictable. This historical analysis may be cold comfort to Gen X workers who careers are collapsing, but it is a harsh truth that people who bank on the world of work never changing are likely to lose out. The best you can do is continue to build skills that are valuable and transferable and to realise that other generations have successfully weathered these changes. In 1900, prospects looked grim for saddle makers and horse feed lots, but most of the people engaged in these businesses moved on and adapted to the new world of automobiles. The current cry that AI will change everything is just a variation on the cry over the years that other technologies will change everything, and it is probably only partially true. More than 2,500 years ago, a Greek philosopher reminded us that the only constant is change. The world of work is changing, just like it always has.
