Think Fast Talk Smart: "Power Play: Successfully Navigate Power, Status, and Influence at Work"
Show notes
What makes one workplace hierarchy motivating and another toxic?
This week on If/Then, we’re sharing a conversation between two Stanford GSB colleagues: Think Fast, Talk Smart host Matt Abrahams and organizational behavior professor Nir Halevy.
Drawing on research from his new book, Level Up: Why Hierarchies Are Broken and How to Fix Them, Nir explains why some hierarchies become overly competitive, unfair, or unstable — and why the answer isn’t necessarily to get rid of them. Matt and Nir explore how everyday communication can help repair unhealthy dynamics, why recognizing different kinds of contribution can strengthen teams, and how leaders can create environments where competition and collaboration can coexist.
It’s a conversation about the structures that shape how we work, and the role each of us can play in making them work better.
Related Content:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:22 Understanding Hierarchies
03:43 Signs of Broken Hierarchies
05:43 Fixing Unhealthy Hierarchies
06:56 Building Healthy Hierarchies
10:05 Competition and Collaboration
11:29 Communication and Hierarchies
14:03 Construal Fit
17:36 Humor and Competence
19:47 The Final Three Questions
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