Humanity is experiencing an unprecedented level of loss and grief. More than 1.2 million deaths have occurred in the last 12 months due to Covid-19 alone. There's a good chance that each of us has within our close circle someone experiencing these challenges.  Yet, in the workplace, the topic of dealing with loss and grief remains a private matter.  In this podcast, I speak with Dr. Charles Dhanaraj on his research looking at the cost of grief in the workplace and the resulting impact. This work that he has been doing in collaboration with his colleague at IMD Switzerland, Dr. George Kohlrieser.  You will hear sage advice on handling grief at a personal level and tips for helping those around us who may be experiencing loss. His research shows surprising links between loss and creativity, which lends validity to the adage "all endings are the start of a new beginning." There are insights that all of us can put to work whether our loss is small or significant. More importantly, if you have felt unsure on how to help others address their grief, there's some actionable advice here.

​Dr. Charles Dhanaraj is the Evelyn & Jay G. Piccinati Endowed Chair of the Department of Management at the University of Denver. His research focuses on strategy and leadership in a global context. More recently, his work with global leaders drew his attention to the impact of loss and grief in the workplace.
Dr. Dhanaraj's research has been published in the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly, Journal of International Business Studies, Strategic Management Journal. He has also written over 50 teaching cases, several of which have received international awards. He serves on the editorial boards of several prominent academic journals. In 2017, the Academy of International Business (AIB) elected him as a fellow, a distinction held by elite researchers for outstanding contributions to scholarly development in international business. He has worked with several global organizations such as Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Cummins, Danske Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, Saudi Arabia British Bank (SABB), UniCredit, Pernod Ricard, Maersk Drilling, Arla, Dekra, Valmet, Deloitte, Sika, Hilti, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Aditya Birla Group. An engineer from IIT Madras (India), with master's degrees in robotics engineering and business, Charles earned his Ph.D. in business from Ivey Business School, Canada. Before entering academia, Dhanaraj worked with the Tata group for several years specializing in strategic management and advanced manufacturing.

Links to Dr. Dhanaraj’s work on Grief and Loss
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-hidden-perils-of-unresolved-grief

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