Social Equations: The STEM Professional’s User Guide to Building Positive Relationships

Mastering everyday social dynamics for technical professionals

Those in STEM fields are charged with driving innovation. In the workplace, whether you are a young professional or an experienced leader, not only do you face the challenge of applying your technical expertise, but also of navigating complex social dynamics. When you focus only on the technical side, you operate in a silo that has limited impact and encounter many roadblocks, seemingly from others. However, sometimes you’re the roadblock! To make a difference on a large scale, you must be able to understand, work with, and influence others, ultimately ensuring thoughtful innovations that benefit humanity.

This essential guide is organized by the challenges you face as a person, in relationships, in teams, in leading teams, and in leading teams of teams. Over time, use this guide to grow your capability. When you run into a problem, simply turn to the topic you need, such as

- managing your reactions,

- inviting people in,

- navigating conflict,

- leading vs. doing, and

- navigating internal politics.

Drawing on concepts from business, organizational development, and sociopsychology, authors Kadakia and Williams explain these social dynamics using scientific analogies and fictional anecdotes, then guide you to put the concepts into practice and consider your context through reflection exercises.

Social Equations aims to empower you, as a STEM professional and social innovator, to become a collaborative leader driving impactful change.