Curious Minds at Work

By Gayle Allen

What's Curious Minds at Work about?

Want to get better at work? At managing others? Managing yourself? Gayle Allen interviews experts who take your performance to the next level. Each episode features a book with insights to help you achieve your goals.

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Curious Minds at Work episodes:

04.08.2024
CM 263: Adam Alter on Simple Ways to Get Unstuck – Rebroadcast
At some point, we all get stuck. Maybe it’s in a job or career. Maybe it’s a relationship or business venture. Though it’s something we all experience, when it happens, we can feel alone and out of our depth. Emotions may...
03.25.2024
CM 262: Norman Farb on the Science of Sensation
When we’re feeling stuck, it’s tempting to believe more thinking is the answer. We stew and we ponder, and then we double down on solutions we’ve tried before. It’s no wonder we start to feel like we just can’t figure...
03.11.2024
CM 261: Andrew McAfee on the Geek Way
When we think of geeks, we tend to think of the people who built the tech we use – from our smartphones to search engines to AI. But if we just focus on the tech, we’re missing out on a...
02.26.2024
CM 260: Malissa Clark Asks, Are You a Workaholic?
There’s more to being a workaholic than working long hours. Consider what motivates you to work more. Where you’re spending your energy. Think about the impact those longer hours have on family and friends. These are some of the distinctions...
02.12.2024
CM 259: Geoffrey Cohen on the Science of Belonging
We associate the word epidemic with disease. Yet it’s a word we’re increasingly using to refer to a state of mind, namely, loneliness. Researchers have not only found a significant increase in people’s feelings of loneliness, but they’ve also learned...
01.29.2024
CM 258: Steven Rogelberg on the Perfect One-on-One Meeting
One-on-one meetings are the cornerstone of manager-employee relationships. For managers, they’re an opportunity to teach, coach, and mentor. For employees, they’re a chance to grow and develop. But given how important these meetings are, how well are we using them? How...
01.15.2024
CM 257: Anna Lembke on Our Digital Addictions
For many of us, the word addiction quickly conjures up images of drugs and alcohol. But we’re often slower to apply the term to compulsive, tech-induced behaviors like playing video games, checking social media, or shopping online. We prefer to think...
01.01.2024
CM 256: Cassie Holmes on Happiness, Meaning, and Fulfillment – Rebroadcast
We go to the dentist, get our eyes checked, and get our cars inspected. These regularly scheduled health and safety audits let us know how we’re doing. But we rarely audit how we spend our time. Sure, most of us have a...
12.18.2023
CM 255: Kat Vellos on Mastering Friendship – Rebroadcast
I’ve spent a lot of time talking to guests about our relationships at work. For example, we’ve discussed how to listen better, how to navigate conflict, and how to influence others, just to name a few. What I’ve spent less time...
12.04.2023
CM 254: Adia Harvey Wingfield on Racism at Work
In the U.S., we have laws and policies in place to prevent discrimination of Black workers. In addition, we have leaders who make public pledges in support of diversity goals. Yet the data continue to show that Black employees are...
11.20.2023
CM 253: Karen Eber on Crafting the Perfect Story
A well-crafted story can fuel connection. It can inspire trust and entertain. Better still, it can have a ripple effect. Yet most of us avoid telling stories. Instead, we stick to the facts and emphasize the data. Now, even if we...
11.06.2023
CM 252: Matt Abrahams on How to Speak on the Spot
We’re often put on the spot to say something of value. And when it happens, it can catch us off guard. For example, you log in early to a conference call and need to make small talk with high status colleagues....
10.23.2023
CM 251: Eduardo Briceno on Improving Our Performance
Most of us are on a performance treadmill. We show up. We execute. Then tomorrow we do it all over again. But this relentless focus on execution leaves little time for learning. As a result, our skills stagnate, and we accomplish...
10.09.2023
CM 250: Gloria Mark on Improving Our Attention
We live and work in a digital world where getting interrupted by communication tools is the norm. That means we shift our attention at least every 47 seconds. Then it takes us about 30 minutes to get back on task....
09.25.2023
CM 249: Daniel Simons on How to Avoid Being Fooled
As humans, we have certain default settings that help us navigate the world. Yet those same default settings make us vulnerable to fraud and deception. For example, our ability to focus helps us concentrate on what’s right in front of us....
09.11.2023
CM 248: Vanessa Patrick On How To Say No
We’re often told that saying yes to everything will be the key to our success. It’ll strengthen our relationships, enhance our reputation, and help us achieve our goals. But what if the reverse were true? What if learning how to say...
08.28.2023
CM 247: Thomas Curran on the Perfection Trap
Aiming for perfection seems like a noble goal. It’s like we’re holding ourselves to a higher standard or standing out from the crowd. But striving for perfection means working toward the impossible. And the cost to our mental and physical health...
08.14.2023
CM 246: Simone Stolzoff On Our Relationship With Work
For many, work is the centerpiece of our lives. It’s not only a source of status and fulfillment, but also central to our identity. But what do we miss out on when hold these expectations of our work? What does it...
07.31.2023
CM 245: Sally Jenkins on Elevating Your Performance
Winning athletes and coaches have a lot to teach us. They’re asked to perform at the highest level, day in and day out, and they face enormous pressure to succeed. Faced with these expectations, the most successful ones must continually elevate...
07.17.2023
CM 244: Jonathan Rhodes on Getting the Life You Want
There’s a lot to be said for the excitement we feel when we first set a goal for ourselves. The sense of exhilaration can give us the momentum we need to get started. But when the exhilaration wears off – and...
07.03.2023
CM 243: Sheena Iyengar on How to Be An Innovator
Coming up with good ideas is hard. But it’s not because we’re not creative or smart enough. It’s likely we just haven’t learned how. Fortunately, Sheena Iyengar, Professor at Columbia Business School, has written a playbook that answers the question, how...
06.19.2023
CM 242: Rainesford Stauffer on Reimagining Ambition
Ambition is complicated. Yet the messages we receive from an early age are simple: “Winners never quit.” “Reach for the stars.” “Follow your dreams.” But like most simple messages, reality often paints a very different picture. Long hours that lead to...
06.04.2023
CM 241: Hal Hershfield on Creating Your Tomorrow
We’ve all had the experience of working toward goals today that would benefit us in the future. Goals like exercising more, losing weight, or saving for retirement. Yet when faced with early-morning alarms or tempting desserts, we may lose sight of...
05.22.2023
CM 240: Adam Alter on Simple Ways to Get Unstuck
At some point, we all get stuck. Maybe it’s in a job or career. Maybe it’s a relationship or business venture. Though it’s something we all experience, when it happens, we can feel alone and out of our depth. Emotions may...
05.08.2023
CM 239: Rina Bliss on Why IQ is a Myth
There’s never been a better time to question how we measure intelligence. With ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence pushing the boundaries of what it means to be smart, there’s an opportunity – even an urgency – to reconsider...
04.24.2023
CM 238: Rob Cross and Karen Dillon on How to Handle Microstress
Small things add up. And, for the most part, that’s a good thing. Like taking the stairs to get more exercise or swapping out something sugary for a piece of fruit. Over time, small actions like these can add up...
04.10.2023
CM 237: Elaine Fox on Mental Agility
Change is a part of life, and it’s a big part of growing and developing. Yet, with change comes uncertainty, and that can cause us to get stuck. To thrive during change, we need a mental agility that comes from self-awareness,...
03.27.2023
CM 236: Tess Wilkinson-Ryan on When to Play the Fool
No one wants to feel like a sucker. In fact, the very thought of being one – of playing the fool – shapes our behavior in powerful ways. But what if our fear causes us to make choices that aren’t good...
03.13.2023
CM 235: Jonah Berger on How to Get Your Way
Almost everything we do – personally and professionally – is affected by the words we use. They help us build relationships, persuade others, and communicate feelings. But what if I told you that 6 types of words were better at doing...
02.27.2023
CM 234: Jill Schlesinger on the Great Money Reset
The pandemic caused many of us to rethink our lives. From the places we’ve been living to the work we’ve been doing. It’s been an opportunity to hit the reset button. Of course, financial considerations play a central role, and that’s...
02.13.2023
CM 233: Daniel Willingham on Smarter Ways to Learn
As adults, we need to learn new things all the time. Yet many of us are relying on the same outdated methods we used as adolescents to do it. Thinks like relentless highlighting and endless rereading. If so, it may be time...
01.30.2023
CM 232: Vanessa Bohns on How We Influence Others – Encore
One of the messages our culture delivers is “not enough.” Not clever enough. Not busy enough. Not successful enough. It’s a cultural mantra that beats just below the surface of many conversations, especially the ones we have with ourselves. That’s what’s...
01.16.2023
CM 231: Nate Zinsser on Building Your Confidence – Encore
Confidence seems elusive. We do something that comes easily and we don’t think twice about it. Or we try something new, experience setbacks, and question our capabilities. It leaves us thinking that confidence is something other people just seem to...
01.02.2023
CM 230: Ayelet Fishback on Achieving Your Goals – Rebroadcast
Most of us have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s resolutions. We love that feeling of a fresh start. But we hate how our commitments seldom make it to Valentine’s Day. So what if this year we had an expert teach...
12.19.2022
CM 229: Cassie Holmes on Happiness, Meaning, and Fulfillment
We go to the dentist, get our eyes checked, and get our cars inspected. These regularly scheduled health and safety audits let us know how we’re doing. But we rarely audit how we spend our time. Sure, most of us have a...
12.05.2022
CM 228: Woo-kyoung Ahn on Thinking Smarter
How we think about things can have an outsize impact on whether we achieve our goals. Take, for example, the research we might do to make an important decision. If we’re already committed to a certain way of thinking, it’s likely...
11.21.2022
CM 227: Gregory Berns on How You See Yourself
Who are you? It’s a question you’ve had to answer if you’ve ever moved, changed jobs, or started a new relationship. And it’s natural that who you are will change with each new experience you gain and new memories you form....
11.07.2022
CM 226: Amy Gallo on How to Work with Difficult People
Work relationships matter more than we think. They can be a key reason we stay in a job or the reason we leave. When they don’t go well, they can consume a lot of our time and energy, both in...
10.24.2022
CM 225: Annie Duke on Knowing When to Quit
What if becoming a better quitter was something to aspire to? Annie Duke thinks it is. She’s a national science foundation fellowship winner and bestselling author who’s used her background in psychology to become a successful poker player and business advisor....
10.07.2022
CM 224: Jennifer Garvey Berger on Thriving in Uncertainty
What if the skills we need to thrive in uncertainty were ones we already had? That’s the case Jennifer Garvey Berger makes in her latest book, Unleash Your Complexity Genius: Growing Your Inner Capacity to Lead. When life is good, we make...
09.26.2022
CM 223: Chantel Prat on How Every Brain Is Different
Your manager sees it one way. Your colleague sees it another. Both ways are different from yours. Why is that? Well, our brains may have something to do with it. Today’s brain researchers are studying what makes our brains different. They’re...
09.12.2022
CM 222: Steve Magness on Real Toughness
How we think about toughness needs a reset. Too often, it’s been associated with brute forcing our way through things. Ignoring our feelings. Making an outward show of confidence and dominance. The problem is it just doesn't work. Performance coach and bestselling...
08.29.2022
CM 221: Julie Winkle Giulioni On Redefining Career Growth
What do you do when a promotion isn't an option? Maybe there aren’t enough positions to go around. It’s not the right moment in your career. Or maybe you don’t want the management responsibilities. In each case, you can feel...
08.15.2022
CM 219: Susannah Baldwin on Women’s Voices at Work
Is our cultural conditioning holding women back at work? We don’t often notice how we’re culturally conditioned. Like when we walk into a store and the girls’ toys are pink and boys’ toys are blue. It’s a gender norm we may...
08.01.2022
CM 219: Britt Frank on Getting Unstuck
There are times in our lives where we feel stuck, be it personally or professionally. It might be in our career. It might in a relationship. We’re smart, so we try to think our way out of it. But when we’re...
07.18.2022
CM 218: Michael Wenderoth on How to Get Promoted
Most of us believe that if we're smart, work hard, and hit our targets, we've got what it takes to get promoted. And, in some organizations, we might be right. But, in many organizations, those skills only take us so far. Research...
07.04.2022
CM 217: Anh Dao Pham on How to Succeed as a Project Leader
In most organizations, moving up means managing projects. And if you want to grow your project management skills, you’ve got a wealth of resources to choose from. Everything from books and podcasts to courses and certifications. What’s much harder to find...
06.20.2022
CM 216: Megan Gerhardt on Navigating a Multi-Generational Workplace
For the first time in U.S. history, we have employees from five different generations working side by side. With so many different perspectives and life experiences, conflict is inevitable. Unfortunately, this often leads to stereotyping. We classify colleagues as millennial snowflakes,...
06.06.2022
CM 215: Roger Martin on Rethinking Management
The most successful leaders are always looking for an edge. It could be a competitive edge for their organizations, their teams, even themselves. One of the most effective ways to gain that edge is to notice what others miss. It’s...
05.23.2022
CM 214: Moshe Bar On Our Creative Brains
Most of us are productivity junkies. We pride ourselves on how much we accomplish and how long we maintain our focus. But our brains know better. Sooner or later, they start to wander. To the tune of nearly half our...

What's Curious Minds at Work about?

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Curious Minds at Work episodes:

CM 263: Adam Alter on Simple Ways to Get Unstuck – Rebroadcast

CM 262: Norman Farb on the Science of Sensation

CM 261: Andrew McAfee on the Geek Way

CM 260: Malissa Clark Asks, Are You a Workaholic?

CM 259: Geoffrey Cohen on the Science of Belonging

CM 258: Steven Rogelberg on the Perfect One-on-One Meeting

CM 257: Anna Lembke on Our Digital Addictions

CM 256: Cassie Holmes on Happiness, Meaning, and Fulfillment – Rebroadcast

CM 255: Kat Vellos on Mastering Friendship – Rebroadcast

CM 254: Adia Harvey Wingfield on Racism at Work

CM 253: Karen Eber on Crafting the Perfect Story

CM 252: Matt Abrahams on How to Speak on the Spot

CM 251: Eduardo Briceno on Improving Our Performance

CM 250: Gloria Mark on Improving Our Attention

CM 249: Daniel Simons on How to Avoid Being Fooled

CM 248: Vanessa Patrick On How To Say No

CM 247: Thomas Curran on the Perfection Trap

CM 246: Simone Stolzoff On Our Relationship With Work

CM 245: Sally Jenkins on Elevating Your Performance

CM 244: Jonathan Rhodes on Getting the Life You Want

CM 243: Sheena Iyengar on How to Be An Innovator

CM 242: Rainesford Stauffer on Reimagining Ambition

CM 241: Hal Hershfield on Creating Your Tomorrow

CM 240: Adam Alter on Simple Ways to Get Unstuck

CM 239: Rina Bliss on Why IQ is a Myth

CM 238: Rob Cross and Karen Dillon on How to Handle Microstress

CM 237: Elaine Fox on Mental Agility

CM 236: Tess Wilkinson-Ryan on When to Play the Fool

CM 235: Jonah Berger on How to Get Your Way

CM 234: Jill Schlesinger on the Great Money Reset

CM 233: Daniel Willingham on Smarter Ways to Learn

CM 232: Vanessa Bohns on How We Influence Others – Encore

CM 231: Nate Zinsser on Building Your Confidence – Encore

CM 230: Ayelet Fishback on Achieving Your Goals – Rebroadcast

CM 229: Cassie Holmes on Happiness, Meaning, and Fulfillment

CM 228: Woo-kyoung Ahn on Thinking Smarter

CM 227: Gregory Berns on How You See Yourself

CM 226: Amy Gallo on How to Work with Difficult People

CM 225: Annie Duke on Knowing When to Quit

CM 224: Jennifer Garvey Berger on Thriving in Uncertainty

CM 223: Chantel Prat on How Every Brain Is Different

CM 222: Steve Magness on Real Toughness

CM 221: Julie Winkle Giulioni On Redefining Career Growth

CM 219: Susannah Baldwin on Women’s Voices at Work

CM 219: Britt Frank on Getting Unstuck

CM 218: Michael Wenderoth on How to Get Promoted

CM 217: Anh Dao Pham on How to Succeed as a Project Leader

CM 216: Megan Gerhardt on Navigating a Multi-Generational Workplace

CM 215: Roger Martin on Rethinking Management

CM 214: Moshe Bar On Our Creative Brains