Five science-backed tips to become a better leader

My guest on today’s episode of Nudge has spent decades studying leaders.  I asked Prof. Adam Galinsky to share his top five (evidence-backed) leadership tips.  Want to become a better leader?  This is the episode for you.  ---  Watch the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/a53ff22931  Read Adam’s book: https://amzn.to/4htZCGc Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Blunden, H., Kristal, A. S., Whillans, A. V., Yoon, J., Burd, K., Bremner, S., & Yeomans, M. (2025). Eliciting advice instead of feedback improves developmental input. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 193, 104343. Chou, E. Y., Halevy, N., Galinsky, A. D., & Murnighan, J. K. (2017). The Goldilocks contract: The synergistic benefits of combining structure and autonomy for persistence, creativity, and cooperation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 393–412. Hoff, M., Rucker, D. D., & Galinsky, A. D. (2025). The vicious cycle of status insecurity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 128(1), 101–122. Leonardelli, G. J., Gu, J., McRuer, G., Medvec, V. H., & Galinsky, A. D. (2019). Multiple equivalent simultaneous offers (MESOs) reduce the negotiator dilemma: How a choice of first offers increases economic and relational outcomes. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 152, 64–82. Liljenquist, K. A., & Galinsky, A. D. (2007). Turn your adversary into your advocate: Strategic requests for advice can transform disputes into amiable problem-solving ventures. Kellogg Insight. Northwestern University. Majer, J. M., Trötschel, R., Galinsky, A. D., & Loschelder, D. D. (2020). Open to offers, but resisting requests: How the framing of anchors affects motivation and negotiated outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(3), 582–599. Wu, S. J., & Paluck, E. L. (2022). Having a voice in your group: Increasing productivity through group participation. Behavioural Public Policy, 9(1), 192–211.

In 1989, The Simpsons released Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.  It’s a classic Simpson’s episode filled with slapstick humour, dry jokes, and smart gags.  And yet, behind all the humour, there’s an important lesson about leadership.  Today, Chief Behavioural Scientist Micheal Hallsworth explains what Marge Simpson can teach you about leadership.   ---  Read the Hypocrisy Trap: https://amzn.to/47vhxbj⁠ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/  Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  ---  Today’s sources:  Barrick, E. M., Barasch, A., & Tamir, D. I. (2022). The unexpected social consequences of diverting attention to our phones. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 101, Article 104344. Jordan, J. J., Sommers, R., Bloom, P., & Rand, D. G. (2017). Why do we hate hypocrites? Evidence for a theory of false signaling. Psychological Science. Thomas, O., & Reimann, O. (2023). The bias blind spot among HR employees in hiring decisions. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 37(1), 5–22. Tokunaga, R. S. (2010). Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(3), 277–287

Are inspiring leaders born or are they made?  That’s what Adam Galinsky, the Columbia Business School professor, has spent the past two decades studying inspiring leaders.  On today’s episode of Nudge, he shares his groundbreaking research into inspiration, reciprocity, repetition and visionary statements that reshaped how I saw leadership.  ---  Read Adam’s book: https://amzn.to/4htZCGc⁠ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Today’s sources:  Begg, I. (1972). Recall of meaningful phrases. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(4), 431–439. Cabinet Office & Behavioural Insights Team. (2013, May 28). Applying behavioural insights to charitable giving. Behavioural Insights Team. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/applying-behavioural-insights-to-charitable-giving Carton, A. M., Murphy, C., & Clark, J. R. (2014). A (blurry) vision of the future: How leader rhetoric about ultimate goals influences performance. Academy of Management Journal, 57(6), 1544–1570. Cialdini, R. B. (1984). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. William Morrow & Company. Liu, J., Hong, X., Zheng, Z., & Zhong, J. (2023). When consumers have difficulty understanding ads: How technical language lowers purchase intention. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 22(6), 1550–1563.

Britain’s most popular pint has a major flaw.  It takes 2 minutes to pour.  This should put people off. Most of us don’t love waiting at the bar.  And yet, despite this flaw, one in every nine British pints sold is Guinness.  Why?  Well, today’s guest, behavioural scientist Richard Shotton, says it’s down to some evidence-backed consumer psychology.  ---  Read Hacking The Human Mind: https://amzn.to/47lpcbT Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  --- Today’s sources Aronson, E., Willerman, B., & Floyd, J. (1966). The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal attractiveness. Psychonomic Science, 4(6), 227–228. Bohner, G., Einwiller, S., Erb, H.-P., & Siebler, F. (2003). When small means comfortable: Relations between product attributes in two-sided advertising. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13(4), 454–463. Kruger, J., Wirtz, D., Van Boven, L., & Altermatt, T. W. (2004). The effort heuristic. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40(1), 91–98. Williams, K. D., Bourgeois, M. J., & Croyle, R. T. (1993). The effects of stealing thunder in criminal and civil trials. Law and Human Behavior, 17(6), 597–609

Five Guys was the fastest-growing fast food chain in the world.  And that’s partly due to one clever bit of menu psychology.  Today on Nudge, Richard Shotton explains:  - The psychology behind the Five Guys menu  - How Kraft made a healthier Mac & Cheese (without losing customers)  - Why 99% of marketers would have ruined Pumpkin Spice Latte ---  Read Hacking The Human Mind: https://amzn.to/47lpcbT Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  --- Today’s sources Lee, L., Frederick, S., & Ariely, D. (2006). Try it, you’ll like it: The influence of expectation, consumption, and revelation on preferences for beer. Psychological Science, 17(12), 1054–1058. Nelson, L. D., & Meyvis, T. (2008). Interrupted consumption: Disrupting adaptation to hedonic experiences. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6), 654–664. Raghunathan, R., Naylor, R. W., & Hoyer, W. D. (2006). The unhealthy = tasty intuition and its effects on taste inferences, enjoyment, and choice of food products. Journal of Marketing, 70(4), 170–184. Shu, S. B., & Gneezy, A. (2010). Procrastination of enjoyable experiences. Journal of Marketing Research, 47(5), 933–944. Zhang, Y., Fishbach, A., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2007). The dilution model: How additional goals undermine the perceived instrumentality of a shared path. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(3), 389–401.

In 2020, the UK government told its citizens not to meet in groups of more than two.  Despite this rule, the UK government were caught holding lockdown-breaking parties, which involved the Prime Minister.  This ultimately led to Boris Johnson’s resignation in July 2022, but why?  Why did this specific scandal make voters so angry?  Today, with the Chief Behavioural Scientist at the Behavioural Insights Team, Michael Hallsworth, we uncover the psychology behind hypocrisy.  ---  Read the Hypocrisy Trap: https://amzn.to/47vhxbj Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Today’s sources:  Alicke, M., Gordon, E., & Rose, D. (2013). Hypocrisy: What counts? Philosophical Psychology, 26(5), 673–701. Laurent, S. M., & Clark, B. A. (2019). What makes hypocrisy? Folk definitions, attitude/behavior combinations, attitude strength, and private/public distinctions. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 41(2), 104–121. Powell, C. A. J., & Smith, R. H. (2012). Schadenfreude caused by the exposure of hypocrisy in others. Self and Identity, 12(4), 413–431. Wagner, T., Lutz, R. J., & Weitz, B. A. (2009). Corporate hypocrisy: Overcoming the threat of inconsistent corporate social responsibility perceptions. Journal of Marketing, 73(6), 77–91.

Kipp Bodnar is HubSpot’s CMO. He’s also an AI expert. Today, I interview him about how he uses AI, how he expects marketing teams to change, and his four tips to help you adopt AI in your business. --- The Loop Marketing Playbook: https://clickhubspot.com/45054c Kipp’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MATGpod Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Today’s sources:  HigherVisibility. (2025, February 7). New study from HigherVisibility reveals how search behavior is changing in 2025 [Press release]. Terwiesch, C. (2023). Would ChatGPT Get a Wharton MBA? A prediction based on its performance in the operations management course (White paper, Mack Institute for Innovation Management, The Wharton School). Nightingale, S. J., & Farid, H. (2022). AI-synthesized faces are indistinguishable from real faces and more trustworthy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(8), e2120481119

In 2011, Coca-Cola introduced a white version of their Coca-Cola can. The drink inside was identical to original Coca-Cola, but customers drinking from this white can hated the taste.  The white can made buyers think the Cola tasted worse.  To explain why, I need to delve into the science of sensehacking. With Professor Adrian North, I’ll explain why tennis players grunt loudly, why cars smell different when new, how a tablecloth alters our taste, and that music changes what you buy.  ---  Join the Nudge Vaults waiting list: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults Join the Nudge Unit waiting list: https://maven.com/nudge-unit/course-cohort Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list   Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/   Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  ---  Today’s sources  Bschaden, A., Dörsam, A., Cvetko, K., & Stroebele-Benschop, N. (2020). The impact of lighting and table linen as ambient factors on meal intake and taste perception. Food Quality and Preference, 79, 103797. Cañal-Bruland, R., Müller, F., Lach, B., & Spence, C. (2018). Auditory contributions to visual anticipation in tennis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 36, 100–103. Garber, M. (2012, July 26). The future of advertising will be squirted into your nostrils as you sit on a bus. The Atlantic. Golan, M., & Fenko, A. (2015). Toward a sensory congruence model: Matching sounds with material properties. Food Quality and Preference, 46, 33–43. Guéguen, N., Jacob, C., Lourel, M., & Pascual, A. (2012). When drivers see red: Car color and driving behavior. Color Research & Application, 37(5), 452–455. Hanss, D., Steger, D., & Giesel, F. (2012). The influence of car color on driver behavior and perceptions of speed. Color Research & Application, 37(4), 304–309. Hirsch, A. (1991, February 4). Preliminary results of olfaction Nike study. Marketing News, 25, 1–2. Horswill, M. S., & Plooy, A. M. (2008). Auditory feedback influences perceived driving speed. Perception, 37(7), 1037–1043. Leenders, M. A. A. M., Smidts, A., & El Haji, A. (2019). Ambient scent as a mood inducer in supermarkets: The role of scent intensity and time-pressure of shoppers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 48, 270–280. Milliman, R. E. (1982). Using background music to affect the behavior of supermarket shoppers. Journal of Marketing, 46(3), 86–91. North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J., & McKendrick, J. (1999). The influence of in-store music on wine selections. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2), 271–276. Spence, C. (2021). Sensehacking: How to use the power of your senses for happier, healthier living. Viking. Wall Street Journal. (2012, October 23). Why consumers doubt silent vacuum cleaners. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203406404578074671598804116 Zellner, D., Geller, T., Lyons, S., Pyper, A., & Riaz, K. (2017). Ethnic congruence of music and food affects food selection but not liking. Food Quality and Preference, 56, 126-129.

Is the classic forming, storming, norming, performing model wrong? In this episode of Nudge, Professor Colin Fisher challenges one of the most famous team-building frameworks and reveals what really drives teams to succeed. ---   Read Colin’s book: https://amzn.to/4oaY9Yc Reading the Mind In the Eyes: https://embrace-autism.com/reading-the-mind-in-the-eyes-test/#test Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/  Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  --- Today’s sources:  Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 16(2), 250–279. Riedl, C., Kim, Y. J., Gupta, P., Malone, T. W., & Woolley, A. W. (2021). Quantifying collective intelligence in human groups. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(21), e2005737118  Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms. Harper. Staw, B. M. (1975). Attribution of the "causes" of performance: A general alternative interpretation of cross-sectional research on organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 13(3), 414–432.

Ever felt like your team isn’t pulling its weight or sat through a meeting where nothing gets done? In this episode of Nudge, Professor Colin Fisher reveals why sometimes it’s actually better to work alone than in a group. ---  Read Colin’s book: https://amzn.to/4oaY9Yc⁠ Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/  Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/  --- Today’s sources:  Almaatouq, A., Alsobay, M., Yin, M., & Watts, D. J. (2021). Task complexity moderates group synergy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(36), e2101062118 Darley, J. M., & Bats on, C. D. (1973). “From Jerusalem to Jericho”: A study of situational and dispositional variables in helping behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 27(1), 100–108. Wuchty, S., Jones, B. F., & Uzzi, B. (2007). The increasing dominance of teams in production of knowledge. Science, 316(5827), 1036–1039.