Dear Students,
Happy New Year! I am happy to welcome 2023 with you and I am looking forward to a wonderful semester of learning together. Looking back to last year I realized I was quite weary at the end of the fall semester so I focused on trying to rejuvenate during the past few weeks. I think it worked because I feel energized and excited for the new semester and for seeing you all on campus this Spring. I hope you also were able to enjoy some down time and to relax and refuel these past few weeks. Energy is required for these times, I think, and the world of work needs us now more than ever.
Roxanne Gay, a renowned writer, has a regular series in The New York Times, called “Work Friend,” where she responds to readers’ requests for advice regarding their work challenges. She recently offered a summary of her readers’ most common problems and some of the concerns she noted are excerpted below:
- They want more satisfaction or more money or more respect.
- They want to feel as if they’re making a difference.
- They want to feel valued or seen or heard.
- They want the man in the next cubicle to chew less loudly so they are afforded more peace.
- They want to have more time for themselves and interests beyond how they spend their professional lives.
- They are in their 60s and don’t know how to navigate the contemporary job market.
- They are in their 20s and worry they will never be taken seriously.
- They are two years away from vested retirement and can’t afford to make a career change.
- They are just out of college without a strong résumé and can’t afford to be selective.
- They have a disability but don’t want to disclose that to their employer for fear of reprisal.
- They want to bring attention to a terrible wrong but are their family’s breadwinner.
- They want to work from home forever, or they miss the din of the office and happy hours with their best work friends, or they want flexibility to enjoy both working from home and spending time in the office.
- They want to unionize for better working conditions, and they want parental leave, and they want to know they won’t be fired for simply being who they are.
From this list alone it is clear that we, organizational psychologists (both experienced and in training), are essential. Indeed, we have our work cut out for us! I hope you feel as I do that tackling the challenges of the current work world is compelling and exciting. Perhaps you also feel as I do that managing all the things – school, work, family, fun, sleep, a life – while trying to be a competent organizational psychologist is sometimes tiring and can be overwhelming.
A current S-OP PhD student and a former TA in my Group Dynamics course, Adam Parr, taught me an important lesson about pacing at work. Adam is a long-distance runner and he used the same strategy in approaching a semester at TC as he did in tackling a marathon. He reminded me that we have to rest, refresh and refuel all along the way of the 15-week semester rather than waiting for the break – be it winter, spring or summer – to catch up on taking care of ourselves. He emphasized remembering to conserve some energy in the beginning and middle of the semester so as to have enough left at the end to finish strong, healthy, and even cheerful. I realized I had forgotten this sound counsel last semester. I paced poorly and as a result, stumbled into the winter break exhausted and very cranky. Now, with fresh energy and excitement for the spring, I am trying to remember to pace myself. I have my eye on maintaining a more balanced schedule, making time for relaxation and fun, ensuring I get enough sleep (at least most nights), and thinking of the semester as a marathon rather than a sprint. I know that my work and relationships will feel more meaningful and enriching if I don’t let myself burn out before we’ve even hit May. I hope you will also think about pacing yourselves this semester and that you will try to preserve the precious resource that is you so you can engage in our learning community with creativity and excitement. I know we can do essential work together if we take care of ourselves and each other.
I know I speak for all my faculty and staff colleagues when I say how happy we are to rejoin you in our shared work at the start of this Spring 2023 semester. Please say hello to us when you are on campus and let’s all try to pace well. See you in class!
Warmly,
Sarah J. Brazaitis, Ph.D.
MA Program Director
Current Student Profile
Nick Venier
Nick Venier is a first year M.A. student in the Social-Organizational Psychology program. Nick first joined the United States Air Force, where he trained to work as a mechanic on C-17's. While stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Nick dreamed to someday play college football and joined a vigorous training program in order join a team after his enlistment contract had expired.
Nick then attended Monmouth University's Leon Hess Business Management program. There, he also joined Monmouth's Division One football team and he received his #88 jersey, the same number he had back in high school 5 years ago. Nick was president of the Student Veterans Association and was nominated for Student of the Year for the culmination of his efforts with this organization.
In 2019, Nick was sworn in to the Fire Department of New York City. While always being a student of psychology, Nick was invited to join a FDNY course titled, "Mental Performance Initiative". It was during this course where he discovered how important psychology is in order to perform in stressful work environments. This led him join TC's S-OP MA program. Nick is particularly passionate about change management, group dynamics, and organizational culture, and has dreams of working in a professional sports organization someday.
Outside of school and work, you can find Nick hiking in various parks in the tristate area, planning trips to National Parks, and cheering on the New York Jets.
Alumni Profile
Angel Hu
Angel Hu (they/them) is a Ritual Designer and Coach based in San Diego, CA and New York City. They use the tools of rituals and contemplative practices to guide creatives and leaders on introspective journeys to reconnect with themselves so that they can lead with authenticity and purpose.
After graduating from TC, Angel worked as a consultant in leadership development and organizational change. In this experience, Angel realized their gift and passion for building people up through supporting C-suite clients and senior executives on a daily basis. Later on, Angel served as the Chief of Staff on the People team at MongoDB, launching org-wide projects from the ground up.
Angel has continued their interest in group work since their first Group Relations Conference at TC. Deeply moved by the impact of group relations, they served as the Member-At-Large at the New York Center for the study of groups, organizations, and social systems. Angel is also a Co-Creator at Group Relations International and a member at The A. K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems.
Angel recognizes that their success was not the work of only one person and they are grateful for the support from their ancestors, guides, and mentors. In their lifetime, they aspire to reduce suffering as much as they can and practice the qualities of compassion, wisdom, and joy every day.
A graduate of the S-OP program at TC in 2017, Angel also holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from University of California, Los Angeles.
Recommended Readings
Based on research from Garner HR's practice, this piece outlines the 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2023 and Beyond. These workplace predictions highlight the aspects of work which leaders should prioritize over the next 12 months in order be successful. Do you agree with these trends?
This article, Leading in a Digital Era with Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity, is written by Claudy Jules, a partner at McKinsey & Company and former Google executive, where he calls for a new type of leadership and organizational governance in the evolving digital era.