Pink: Looking backward can move us forward

“Regret makes us human,” bestselling author Dan Pink told attendees at AONL 2022. His keynote address explored the power of regret, what it reveals about our values and how we can use it to create the lives we want to live. Despite what celebrities tell us, Pink’s extensive survey research indicates regret is a universal emotion with predictable causes. His analysis of a database containing thousands of regrets suggests that people are seeking stability, connection, and environments where they feel comfortable speaking and where it’s easy to do the right thing. “If people want these things in their lives, why would they not want them in their work?” he asked. “Regrets…give you clues about how to build workplaces that allow people to do their best work, and be their best selves,” Pink concluded.