Don Kieffer, co-author of There’s Got to Be a Better Way, shares why “common sense” often misguides leaders and how dynamic work design helps organizations thrive. From calling meetings the worst form of organizational abuse to showing why managers can become their own obstacles, Don explains how making work visible and partnering with people closest to the work can unlock both adaptability and efficiency.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Don Kieffer

[7:14] What Leaders Consistently Get Wrong

[10:29] Dynamic Work - What Is It?

[18:42] The Hot Stove Problem

[22:56] When the Boss Becomes the Problem

[28:18] The Power of Whiteboards

[36:01] Meetings: The Worst Form of Organizational Abuse

[42:46] Jazz, Improv, and Better Work Design

[45:44] Grooving Session - Handoffs, Huddles, and Making Work Work

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

About Don Kieffer

There’s Got to Be a Better Way by Nelson Repenning and Donald Kieffer

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John Coltrane - My Favorite Things

Pandora Jazz Station

This October, we’re celebrating 8 years of Behavioral Grooves! To mark the occasion, we’re digging into our archives and re-sharing some of our most popular and thought-provoking conversations every Thursday for the next two months.

The celebration builds to our Anniversary Event on October 16th in Minneapolis, where fan favorite Nick Epley will lead the audience in a live social experiment and conversation about the science we all love.

Space is limited—grab your tickets now through the link in the show notes and join us for an unforgettable night of behavioral science, connection, and fun!

And now - this week's episode!

Jodi Wellman, author of You Only Die Once, joins us for a lively and irreverent conversation on how facing our mortality can motivate us to live more fully. Together, we explore why life should be about more than routines and to-do lists, and how prioritizing joy, gratitude, and connection can help us make the most of the limited Mondays we have left. Blending humor with inspiration, Jodi challenges us to be more intentional with our time and to embrace the art of truly living.

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

You Only Die Once by Jodi Wellman

Dave Matthews Band - Satellite

The Cure - Friday I’m in Love

Richard Shotton joins us to reveal the behavioral science secrets behind 17 iconic brands — from Guinness and Snickers to Apple and Dyson. He explains how psychological biases like concreteness, trigger moments, and the illusion of effort drive real-world success, and why making things easy often beats motivation.

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

[0:00] Intro and speed round with Richard Shotton

[7:52] The single bias every marketer should know

[13:09] Guinness and the power of the pratfall effect

[19:32] Snickers, trigger moments, and habit formation

[26:51] Apple’s “1,000 songs in your pocket” and concreteness

[34:32] Dyson, the illusion of effort, and AI’s challenge

[43:25] Lessons on testing vs. relying on survey claims

[46:38] Desert island music

[49:41] Grooving session: key takeaways

[1:09:12] Event announcement

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis

About Richard

Hacking the Human Mind

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

The Wonder Stuff - The Size of a Cow

CMAT - When a Good Man Cries

This October, we’re celebrating 8 years of Behavioral Grooves! To mark the occasion, we’re digging into our archives and re-sharing some of our most popular and thought-provoking conversations every Thursday for the next two months.

The celebration builds to our Anniversary Event on October 16th in Minneapolis, where fan favorite Nick Epley will lead the audience in a live social experiment and conversation about the science we all love.

Space is limited—grab your tickets now through the link in the show notes and join us for an unforgettable night of behavioral science, connection, and fun!

And now - this week's episode!

In this episode of Behavioral Grooves, psychologists Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris—creators of the famous Monkey Business Illusion and authors of Nobody’s Fool—unpack why we so often fall for fraud, scams, and flashy but misleading science. They explain how our biases and love of appealing stories make us vulnerable, and why blanket skepticism isn’t practical. Instead, they share tools for spotting deception, insights into fixing flawed research incentives, and a simple but powerful rule of thumb: trust the people who admit when they’re wrong.

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It by Daniel Simons & Chris Chabris

The Monkey Business Illusion

Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime”

Ani Difranco “Both Hands”

Wax Tailor “Come With Me”

Bjork “Human Behaviour”

Employee engagement scores have been stuck for decades—but belonging and wellbeing might be the missing pieces. We talk with Mark Crowley about why emotions drive behavior, how rituals create culture, and why leading with heart is actually the smartest path to performance.

[0:00] Intro and speed round with Mark Crowley

[9:05] Why leaders dismiss engagement scores

[11:28] The power of asking “How do you feel?”

[16:50] Reciprocity and authentic care

[20:08] Belonging as the greatest driver of wellbeing

[24:55] Why old leadership myths persist

[28:20] Positive emotions as “emotional currency”

[31:51] Balancing care with accountability

[35:05] Rituals that build culture (and candy stories)

[42:11] Advice for new managers

[46:24] Mark’s desert island music picks

[48:39] Grooving session takeaways

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

About Mark

The Power of Employee Well-Being by Mark Crowley

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Van Morrison - Days Like This

George Harrison - Any Road

This October, we’re celebrating 8 years of Behavioral Grooves! To mark the occasion, we’re digging into our archives and re-sharing some of our most popular and thought-provoking conversations every Thursday for the next two months.

The celebration builds to our Anniversary Event on October 16th in Minneapolis, where fan favorite Nick Epley will lead the audience in a live social experiment and conversation about the science we all love.

Space is limited—grab your tickets now through the link in the show notes and join us for an unforgettable night of behavioral science, connection, and fun!

Now, onto the episode!

Distinguished psychologist Arie Kruglanski joins us to unpack his groundbreaking research on motivation and the human quest for significance—the drive that fuels our thoughts, emotions, and actions. We explore how goals serve motivational needs, why intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are more connected than they seem, and how the universal desire for significance can be channeled in both positive and destructive ways. Arie also shares insights from his influential 3N Model of Radicalization, offering a hopeful perspective on how education and alternative pathways can redirect this powerful drive toward more constructive ends.

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

About Arie

Bach - Air on G String

Miles Davis - So What

Cognitive scientist Steve Sloman joins us to discuss The Cost of Conviction, exploring how sacred values shape our decisions and why they often lead to polarization. From zealotry to the social roots of belief, Steve reveals why convictions are more borrowed than built—and what this means for hot-button debates in politics, public health, and business. Most importantly, he shares how reframing conversations can reduce outrage, build humility, and open the door to better dialogue across divides.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Steve Sloman

[7:49] How Your Community Shapes Your Beliefs

[13:05] Sacred Values vs. Consequentialism

[19:25] The Psychology of Convictions

[24:48] Do We Only Trust In-Group Experts?

[33:59] The “Sacred Value Trap”

[40:35] How Framing Shifts Consumer Behavior

[47:45] Desert Island Music

[51:59] Grooving Session: How Can We Reframe Our Sacred Values?

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

Behavioral Grooves Live Event!

About Steve

The Cost of Conviction by Steve Sloman

Join us on Substack!

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Paul Simon - The Boxer

Neil Young - Rockin’ in the Free World

Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin’

This October, we’re celebrating 8 years of Behavioral Grooves! To mark the occasion, we’re digging into our archives and re-sharing some of our most popular and thought-provoking conversations every Thursday for the next two months.

The celebration builds to our Anniversary Event on October 16th in Minneapolis, where fan favorite Nick Epley will lead the audience in a live social experiment and conversation about the science we all love.

Space is limited—grab your tickets now through the link in the show notes and join us for an unforgettable night of behavioral science, connection, and fun!

Now, onto the episode!

In this episode of Behavioral Grooves, we sit down with behavioral economics pioneer George Loewenstein, whose groundbreaking research has shaped our understanding of decision-making, risk, incentives, emotions, and so much more. Though not a household name, George is a legend in the field—so much so that Richard Thaler dedicated his book Misbehaving to him. Our conversation explores his latest work on boredom, a surprisingly understudied emotion, and what it reveals about attention, productivity, and even workplace meetings. Along the way, we touch on curiosity, music, and why boredom itself may hold the key to unlocking deeper flow and focus.

Behavioral Grooves LIVE in Minneapolis!

About George