Latest news with #TheBusiness
RTÉ News
2 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
17-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
What does sunshine do to our brains?
We're certainly making up for the lousy weather we've seen so far this year with days of endless sunshine and blue skies. While it's a boost to morale and puts more of a pep in our step, what does sunshine do to our brains? Dr Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland joined The Business on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss this matter. (This piece includes excerpts from the conversation which have been edited for length and clarity - you can hear the discussion in full above). "Sunshine produces a hormone called serotonin", explains Freeman. "It makes us feel good, it makes us feel calm and focused and of course it helps us to produce vitamin D and nitric oxide to keep our body working well but, yes, it does have an impact on our brain and we don't fully understand what it does. Generally, it does make us feel more optimistic because things look good and we probably make decisions then because we think things are going to go well so that can influence how we behave." Of course, it's not all good behaviourial changes. "One of the things that happens with sunshine is we all get out and interact so higher temperatures can cause arousal. In a study in Phoenix, Arizona, a researcher sat in a car at traffic lights. When the traffic light changed, they counted how many times people honked depending on the temperature from April to August in the same year. There's a linear relationship between the frequency and number of honks as the temperature gets up so people do get more aroused." We also tend to spend a little more when the sun shines. "There is evidence that we spend a little bit more and we're probably not concentrating that well either", explains Freeman. "A study in Australia put funny objects around a shop and then asked people when they came out if they remember seeing them. People remembered three times more on cloudy days than on sunny days. When people are exposed to artificial sunlight and then tested to see what would they buy from a list, they tend to choose to buy more things and buy more unusual things." Another area which sees a change when the sun shines is recruitment and, according to Freeman, clouds suit nerds. "There was a very interesting study about hiring people in different kinds of weather and the phrase from the researchers here was that clouds suit nerds. When interviewers in American colleges were looking at students on cloudy days, they were more likely to rate better students who had really strong records of academic performance. You might think 'oh we want to eat less in the summer, it's hot', but in fact that's not true if you're a man "On sunny days, they took into account people who had good athletic ability and good extracurricular activity. That's because our brain is so good at imagining how things fit in so we can see someone who's good at athletic performance on a sunny day." Sunshine also affects our appetites and an important difference between men and women. "You might think 'oh we want to eat less in the summer, it's hot', but in fact that's not true if you're a man. Researchers looked at 3,000 participants and mapped their food over the whole year and saw that men were eating approximately 300 calories extra per day. That's quite a bit and it's enough to cause weight gain if you're doing it all the time. "They then investigated what was going on behind this by exposing people to 25 minutes of sunlight and what they found was that this increased a hormone called ghrelin, a hormone that's boosts your appetite but only in men and this is fascinating. So if you're heading out in the sun to that BBQ, the sun might be causing you to eat a little bit more than you should. It's just a biological response to the sun."
RTÉ News
15-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Here are some of the ways you can build trust in the workplace
Analysis: Trust is a valuable resource for working relationships and should be proactively worked on and developed Most people appreciate the value of having trusting relationships at work. Trust brings a certain level of ease to a relationship; individuals can effectively communicate and collaborate and there is no need to monitor or second-guess one another's actions or motives. Yet most people probably don't appreciate that they can do things to proactively support trust to develop in their relationships at work, rather than exclusively waiting for others to trust them over time. Many organisations and leaders emphasise the value of trust, but, in reality, it often exists as an arbitrary construct that people greatly value when it is present in a relationship without knowing exactly how it developed. From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Prof Kevin Murphy on why more firms are tracking their workers Research tells us that when individuals focus on three characteristics when they judge if another person is trustworthy: their ability, benevolence, and integrity. Ability is fairly intuitive; does the person perform competently in the domain of interest? The last part is important, as if you work as a social worker, for example, your teammate's ability to play the piano might interest you; however, it should not be the basis on which you judge their ability to perform their job. On the other hand, their communication skills are integral to their success in supporting others and are relevant in assessing their ability to perform as a social worker. Benevolence is about another person caring about you and having your best interests at heart. If you perceive that your manager makes considerate decisions that are in your best interests (even if you don't like the outcome!), you can assess that they are a benevolent individual. From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, everything we need to know about power dynamics in the workplace Integrity relates to others being guided by principles that you find acceptable. This is often judged by whether another person's values align with your own, or by looking for behavioural signals such as one following through on their word. In line with what we know from existing research, your assessment of others' ability, benevolence and integrity will translate into whether you perceive them as trustworthy or not. While it is useful to understand how judgements about others' trustworthiness are generally formed, it is important to remember that trust is a two-way street, and most work relationships depend on both parties trusting each other. If you are determining how trustworthy the person you work with is, they are also making a similar judgment about you. This implies that if you want to proactively support your colleagues to trust you, doing things that signal to them your ability, benevolence and integrity is a worthwhile endeavour. For example, you could demonstrate you are capable of your job by completing your assigned tasks to a high standard or promptly reporting any issues or potential delays. To signal your benevolence and show them that you care about them, you could check in and ask how they are doing or offer them help on a project. To showcase your integrity, you should follow through on your word, so if you say you are going to do something, do it and communicate to the other person that it is done. Determining the trustworthiness of another is not the only factor that influences whether individuals trust one another. As is often the case when considering human behaviour, individual differences exist, and research has shown us that some individuals are naturally more trusting than others. However, the overall influence this bears on trust is small and tends to be stronger in the early stages of a relationship when individuals have less information about one another. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, do you trust your loved one enough to have a joint account? It is also worth noting that individuals tend to look for clues from things aside from the others' behaviour when deciding to trust them at work. One such factor is their role and the reputation it holds. For example, it is commonly known that doctors undergo many years of formal training, which can lead individuals to make certain assumptions about those working in this role and trust them more readily. Similarly, when individuals work in roles or organisations governed by formal rules, policies, or procedures, others can often find it easier to trust them because they are reassured that their actions are guided by these structures. A final factor worth mentioning is perceived similarity. Research tells us that individuals can often connect with and trust people more easily if they perceive others as similar to them. Of course, these things are somewhat out of our control, but it is important to be aware of the factors that influence our decision to trust others at work. Trust is a two-way street, even in power-imbalanced relationships like with your manager Such awareness can be valuable in proactively supporting the development of trust with others at work. For example, if you perceive someone you work with as similar to you in some way, emphasise this to them rather than waiting for them to potentially notice, as it will support them to trust you. Trust is a valuable resource for working relationships and should be proactively worked on. Show those you work with that you are trustworthy by signalling to them your ability, benevolence and integrity, while at the same time using this same criteria to assess if you should trust them. Remember, trust is a two-way street, even in power-imbalanced relationships like with your manager, they also need you to trust them and should act accordingly. Finally, certain cues can help individuals to trust more easily; if these are relevant when you are trying to build trust with others at work, emphasise them. If not, don't try to force it; your efforts to build trust can be proactive, but should remain authentic.
RTÉ News
13-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
What does US-China tariffs' truce mean for ongoing trade war?
By , University of Adelaide and Nathan Howard Gray, University of Adelaide Defying expectations, the United States and China have announced an important agreement to de-escalate bilateral trade tensions after talks in Geneva. The good news is their recent tariff increases will be slashed. The US has cut tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China has reduced levies on US imports from 125% to 10%. This greatly eases major bilateral trade tensions, and explains why financial markets rallied. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, Richard Curran from The Business on US and China agreement to slash tariffs The bad news is twofold. First, the remaining tariffs are still high by modern standards. The US average trade-weighted tariff rate was 2.2% on January 1 2025, while it is now estimated to be up to 17.8%. This makes it the highest tariff wall since the 1930s. Overall, it is very likely a new baseline has been set. Bilateral tariff-free trade belongs to a bygone era. Second, these tariff reductions will be in place for 90 days, while negotiations continue. Talks will likely include a long list of difficult-to-resolve issues. China's currency management policy and industrial subsidies system dominated by state-owned enterprises will be on the table. So will the many non-tariff barriers Beijing can turn on and off like a tap. China is offering to purchase unspecified quantities of US goods – in a repeat of a US-China "Phase 1 deal" from Trump's first presidency that was not implemented. On his first day in office in January, amid a blizzard of executive orders, Trump ordered a review of that deal's implementation. The review found China didn't follow through on the agriculture, finance and intellectual property protection commitments it had made. Unless the US has now decided to capitulate to Beijing's retaliatory actions, it is difficult to see the US being duped again. Failure to agree on these points would reveal the ugly truth that both countries continue to impose bilateral export controls on goods deemed sensitive, such as semiconductors (from the US to China) and processed critical minerals (from China to the US). Moreover, in its so-called "reciprocal" negotiations with other countries, the US is pressing trading partners to cut certain sensitive China-sourced goods from their exports destined for US markets. China is deeply unhappy about these US demands and has threatened to retaliate against trading partners that adopt them. A temporary truce Overall, the announcement is best viewed as a truce that does not shift the underlying structural reality that the US and China are locked into a long-term cycle of escalating strategic competition. That cycle will have its ups (the latest announcement) and downs (the tariff wars that preceded it). For now, both sides have agreed to announce victory and focus on other matters. For the US, this means ensuring there will be consumer goods on the shelves in time for Halloween and Christmas, albeit at inflated prices. For China, it means restoring some export market access to take pressure off its increasingly ailing economy. From RTÉ Radio 1's Brendan O'Connor Show, "the Chinese public wonder has America gone mad". Irish Times China correspondent Denis Staunton on Chinese reaction to the trade war with the US As neither side can vanquish the other, the likely long-term result is a frozen conflict. This will be punctuated by attempts to achieve "escalation dominance", as that will determine who emerges with better terms. Observers' opinions on where the balance currently lies are divided. Along the way, and to use a quote widely attributed to Winston Churchill, to "jaw-jaw is better than to war-war". Fasten your seat belts, there is more turbulence to come. Where does this leave everyone else? Significantly, the US has not (so far) changed its basic goals for all its bilateral trade deals. Its overarching aim is to cut the goods trade deficit by reducing goods imports and eliminating non-tariff barriers it says are "unfairly" prohibiting US exports. The US also wants to remove barriers to digital trade and investments by tech giants and "derisk" certain imports that it deems sensitive for national security reasons. The agreement between the US and UK last week clearly reflects these goals in operation. While the UK received some concessions, the remaining tariffs are higher, at 10% overall, than on April 2 and subject to US-imposed import quotas. Furthermore, the UK must open its market for certain goods while removing China-originating content from steel and pharmaceutical products destined for the US. As neither side can vanquish the other, the likely long-term result is a frozen conflict. For Washington's Pacific defence treaty allies, including Australia, nothing has changed. Potentially difficult negotiations with the Trump administration lie ahead, particularly if the US decides to use our security dependencies as leverage to wring concessions in trade. Japan has already disavowed linking security and trade, and their progress should be closely watched. The US has previously paused high tariffs on manufacturing nations in South-East Asia, particularly those used by other nations as export platforms to avoid China tariffs. Vietnam, Cambodia and others will face sustained uncertainty and increasingly difficult balancing acts. The economic stakes are higher for them. They, like the Japanese, are long-practised in the subtle arts of balancing the two giants. Still, juggling ties with both Washington and Beijing will become the act of an increasingly high-wire trapeze artist.
Scottish Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
How Danny Dyer landed six figure pay day for just one show amid comeback after ditching bad boy image
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OVER the years, Danny Dyer has been known for his bad boy image, thanks to the roles he's played and his tough guy exterior. However, since leaving EastEnders the actor, 47, has shown fans his softer side and had a career u-turn - which has helped boost his bank balance. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 10 Danny Dyer is leaving his bad boy image in the past Credit: Getty 10 The actor ditched EastEnders in 2022 and has been showing off his new softer side Credit: BBC Handout 10 In the noughties Danny was known for his 'hard man' persona Credit: Getty - Contributor 10 Danny recently showed his vulnerability when he broke down on ITV's The Assembly Credit: ITV When Danny burst onto the scene in the late 90s, he was immediately typecast as the quintessential hard man. He was well known for hard-hitting films like Football Factory and The Business. Over the years, sometimes his bad boy persona has spilled out into real life - but the actor is now keen to put this all well and truly in the past. Danny's fans have been watching in awe as the actor has risen from the ashes and become one of TV and film's most likeable stars. Since leaving the EastEnders three years ago, the actor has unleashed a brand new star, and the lucrative job offers have poured in. His career u-turn has rewarded him favourably, so much so, the star revealed he bagged an impressive six figure salary for hosting just one show. "How much did I get for presenting The Wall? I think I probably got maybe £100,000," he candidly revealed. "But, you have to work for it you know. But yeah, that's what I got." SOFTER SIDE Ditching the bad boy image and showing his softer side, has also gone down very well with fans. He was recently seen breaking down on ITV's new show The Assembly, after he was asked very candid questions about his life by a group of young people. Danny Dyer takes swipe at his kids as he defends his 'working class roots' after sending son to private school Although the show has also welcomed stars like Jade Thirlwall and David Tennant, it was Mr Dyer's honesty and vulnerability that really went down well with viewers. In one emotional moment, one young woman asked about his split from from wife Joanne Mas in 2000. The couple reunited not long afterwards, but Danny revealed the impact the break-up had on him and what had led to it. He was asked: "When Jo kicked you out she emptied your shared joint bank account, do you still have a shared bank account now?" 10 Danny bagged a HUGE salary for hosting The Wall Credit: BBC Looking downcast as he remembered that painful time, Danny answered honestly and said: "I was a p***k and she deserved better. "Sometimes I'd go out, get off my head, take drugs; I wouldn't come home for three days. "She had every right to throw me out. She controls everything now." This vulnerability went down well with fans, and in turn acted as a huge boost in Danny's career. 10 Viewers welcomed Danny's honesty on The Assembly Credit: ITV 10 A source said that Danny has been on a 'different path' since leaving EastEnders Credit: BBC A TV source told The Sun: "Since leaving EastEnders, Danny seems to have purposely chosen to go down a totally different path. "It's clear he's in a new era of his life and is showing a softer side to the hard man we're used to seeing on telly. "Appearing on The Assembly was a genius move. He was the best performing celebrity by miles - proving how natural, engaging and kind-hearted he is. "There was a particularly moving moment when he was moved to tears by the young adults who looked at him in total admiration." The insider added: "Behind the bad boy image, Danny showed he's an emotional family man whose days of binging and benders are far behind him. "Stepping out of his comfort zone has shown he's much more than a naughty East Ender." 10 Danny was previously known for hard hitting roles - seen here in The Football Factory Credit: Rex 10 The actor is shaking off his 'ladish' persona Credit: Instagram BECOMING A HEARTTHROB Another TV moment which saw Danny show off his softer side was when he played Freddie Jones in the Disney+ smash hit series, Rivals. Who would've thought the former film hardman turned Queen Vic landlord would be the heartthrob of a Jilly Cooper romper - but he was. With his fake moustache and wig, Danny charmed viewers and became the hero of the series. The role showed a more softer, gentle Danny and in turn proved he shouldn't always be typecast as the gruff hardman. The actor has even admitted he loved playing "gentle soul" Freddie, and enjoyed being "more versatile" with his acting. 10 Danny became the unlikely heartthrob in Rivals Credit: Disney+ Reflecting on the role, Danny told Rivals The Official Podcast: "For me, I was certainly looking to do something different... Fred, is such a lovely, gentle soul, really." Fans were equally impressed with the outcome. One fan tweeted "Danny Dyer is a way better actor than people give him credit for - the warmth and nuance he gives to his character in Rivals is gorgeous." While another actor added: "Danny Dyer was the breakout star of Rivals! I love this softer side to him. More of this please." Danny's bold step in showing a different side to himself as both an actor and a person has certainly paid off The jobs are pouring in, and he is now one of the most sought after British actors.
