Challenging the long-established science of interpreting facial expressions, facial coding, is just one of the surprises in this episode. The belief that the brain is divided into rational and emotional components is an ancient one, and hard to dispel. But our guest today, Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, and her team are doing work that debunks many of the old stereotypes we have about emotion, facial expressions, and rationality. She joins us to talk about her new book How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain and shares some of its most groundbreaking insights.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2nzthFE 

Many of us think of creativity as an isolated incident - a flash of brilliance that inspires a bold painting or a perfect business decision. Yet research increasingly finds that discipline is key to fostering creativity. 

Erik Wahl begins this interview by sharing his love of art and the core mission of his book - to dispel the idea that creativity is a fleeting, singular moment rather than a daily practice. We talk about the coexistence of strict routine and freedom of mind, and how artists and successful businesses alike apply these principles to their work. Erik also shares his thoughts on why it's okay to keep a day job to protect your ability to create without commoditizing your work.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2mQDLjx 

It seems like the term "addiction" gets thrown around quite often when we discuss technology: we're "addicted" to screens, to Facebook, to likes, and so on. But one of my first-ever guests on the show, Nir Eyal, is back to talk about why blaming technology for our behavior is misguided and counterproductive.

We kick things off by discussing the difference between habits and addiction and why Nir intentionally won't work with companies that aim to capitalize on the latter. We also talk about how new frontiers in the tech world relate to what Nir taught us in his book Hooked, and what the future of voice interfaces might be like.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2mTd8e6 

Now more than ever you need to stand out and be recognized as an expert in your field. Today's guest, Mark Schaefer, joins us to share some critical insights and personal branding advice from his new book KNOWN: The handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age. 

Mark and I begin by recalling his prediction (made three years ago) that content marketing would cease to be effective, which we're starting to see today. We then chat about his book, why he wanted to write it now, and how it's different from other personal branding how-tos. Mark offers some great tips for finding your niche, making sure it's sustainable enough to build a platform on, and what he learned from well-known, successful people across many fields. 

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2luBSVF 

Email has become a seemingly inescapable feature of our modern lives - but it doesn't have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. In this interview, writer Jocelyn Glei shares some great email-busting tips from her new book Unsubscribe: How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done. 

Jocelyn begins by talking about the psychology and neurochemistry of email and the two things that make it particularly addictive: random rewards and completion bias. Jocelyn also shares some of her best tips for cutting down on time spent writing emails, and how to conserve time and energy when writing e-correspondence. She even leaves us with some advice about how to make your emails stand out amongst the clutter of your recipient's inbox.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2l1VpwN 

Change is one of the few things you can rely on in life, in the personal, technological, and business realms alike. Today's guest, Dave Gray, explores how we can intentionally harness change in his new book Liminal Thinking: Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think, using quirky, engaging illustrations to help him explain the concept of liminal thinking.

We start off discussing Dave's first career as a news illustrator and why drawings can be such an effective teaching tool. Dave also explains the concept of liminal thinking that he explores in his new book, including how you can intentionally create liminal phases in your life to spur change. Dave and I also relate liminality and illustration to the business sector, and talk about why managers are often the obstacle to turning around failing companies.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2lJ4z15 

Do bigger bonuses or fatter paychecks lead to greater effort and better results? Dan Ariely answers these and other questions as he explains the science of motivation.

Dan's first book, the NYTimes bestseller Predictably Irrational, refuted the idea that people make fundamentally rational choices in their lives and purchases. His newest book Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations, pulls together myriad studies to help us better understand motivation, its limitations, and how we can better harness it.

Dan and I talk about the state of social science research today, including how his work has shaped the field and the replication crisis we're currently experiencing. He also talks about the importance of trust in work and society, and how we can impact even our best people as we attempt to weed out bad apples. We also chat about some of the experiments from his new book and why money isn't the all-powerful motivator we think it is.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2knuY6J 

Paul Zak has created waves throughout his career, first with his fascinating research on oxytocin and its effects on the relationships, trust, and morality that make us human. His latest book, Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies, uses neuroscience and practical actions to help you measure and manage your organizational culture and inspire teamwork and accelerate business outcomes.

Trust Factor is one of the most science-based books I've seen on what makes companies tick and what separates the high performers from the rest.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2jNDU5b 

Although it might seem counterintuitive that businesses would fear innovation, today's guest makes an excellent case for why they do (and why they shouldn't). Building on a career of research into creativity and leadership, professor Jennifer Mueller illuminates decision makers' biases against innovation in her new book Creative Change: Why We Resist It . . . How We Can Embrace It. 

Jennifer and I talk about several of her recent published papers, including one that's been affectionately dubbed the "why men don't ask for directions" project. Jennifer discusses the punishment leaders often face for seeking help with crises, and why the qualities that might make you an outwardly convincing leader don't guarantee any actual skill in leadership. We then dig into precisely why decision makers in companies are often fearful of innovative or creative ideas and end up squashing them, to the detriment of both their employees and their business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2jpFkAd 

Companies are always looking for new ways to understand their customers, but few might think to look to the science of anthropology for those insights. Dr. Andi Simon, author of the new book On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights, shares some of the anthropological tools and strategies she uses to help businesses solve their most pressing problems.

Dr. Andi Simon is a corporate anthropologist and the founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants. She has over twenty years of experience as a senior executive in the financial and health care spaces, and now she helps companies & non-profit institutions develop their purpose, brand positioning, and redesign their culture. 

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://bit.ly/2j2yIr5