Published in From I-O to IPO·Jun 30Everything You Want to Know about Psychometric Assessments(and probably more) — By Nikki Blacksmith, Ph.D. and Kelly Diouf There are myriad judgments and decisions investors and leaders need to make about people in startups. Should I hire this person? Will we get an ROI if we invest in this team? Which employees should be part of the leadership training? What are…Entrepreneurship5 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Mar 2Origins of Human BehaviorLearn the why behind the way people behave — Behavioral Science7 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Mar 2What is Human Behavior?And why startup leaders need this knowledge — Over the past few decades, organizational leaders have realized that human behavior plays a significant role in a startup’s performance. In fact, there is an entire academic discipline devoted to understanding the impact of human behavior at work: industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology. I-O psychologists (like myself) systematically study how people behave…Behavior3 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 28The 2020s SyndromeWhy we all feel so burned out at work — The other day, I saw a social media post where someone described their life pre-pandemic. The person got up in the morning, went to the gym, then went into the office, worked 8 hours, then met friends for dinner (or went to a social event), and then went home. And…Burnout6 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 14The Single, Most Important Skill You Need to Build Stronger RelationshipsIf you’re like most of us, the last couple of years has truly taxed some of our fundamental skills that came second nature to us in the pre-pandemic workplace — like interpersonal communication. We’ve experienced fewer in-person interactions, and the meaningful connections that often would result from them are hindered…Self Awareness5 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 14Self-AwarenessThe Vital Skill for Leading a Startup — If I were to ask you if you were highly self-aware, you would probably say yes. In fact, 95% of people think they are self-aware. According to science, however, only 10–15% of people are truly self-aware. Self-awareness is a critical skill for entrepreneurs. It’s essential for anyone who interacts with…Self Improvement4 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 2Are you confident in your ability to achieve your startup goals?Tips to improve your entrepreneurship self-efficacy — Do you believe you can accomplish tasks and handle problems that arise at work if you put in the necessary effort? How you answer the above question is important because it taps into your beliefs about your capabilities (a.k.a. self-efficacy). …Self4 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Jan 28What is self-efficacy?And why is it necessary for startup success (+ free 2-min assessment) — By Nikki Blacksmith, Ph.D. Being an entrepreneur is challenging for many reasons. But one of the most challenging things entrepreneurs need to do is assess and manage their own performance to grow and develop. …Entrepreneurship3 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 28, 2021Problem Solving & Decision MakingThe critical skill set for leading a startup effectively — Problem solving and decision making are daily activities for startup leaders. This skillset is highly valued by investors and stakeholders and is directly related to innovation and firm performance. Ultimately, success of a startup comes down to a series of decisions made by the leadership. Defining Problem-Solving & Decision-Making As…Decision Making5 min read
Published in From I-O to IPO·Feb 16, 2021Well-Paid MaidsRaising Labor Standards — At Blackhawke, we come into contact with countless entrepreneurs that are building impressive companies that we believe are on their way to make significant impact on society. In this regular feature, we invite startup founders and founder teams to share their story and tell us more about their company. In…Labor4 min read