Ever noticed how the smallest changes can have the biggest impact? On Nudge, you'll learn simple evidence-backed tips to help you kick bad habits, get a raise, ...
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11:20
Why most bestselling business books are BS
Business books are everywhere, offering seemingly simple solutions to complex problems—but are they truly helpful? In this episode, Alex Edmans explores the biases that make us fall for oversimplified advice and why many popular business books fail to deliver.
You’ll learn:
How black-and-white thinking fuels the success of books like Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution and Start With Why.
Why confirmation bias leads us to believe unproven claims (feat. Simon Sinek’s “Why” theory).
The dangers of ignoring nuance, such as in Angela Duckworth’s Grit and Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule.
Real-world examples of flawed reasoning, from the London Marathon tragedy to corporate missteps.
How to critically evaluate the advice offered in bestsellers and avoid falling for universal “truths.”
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Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist
Sign up to 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/
Alex’s book May Contain Lies: https://maycontainlies.com/
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Sources:
Edmans, A. (2024). May contain lies: How stories, statistics, and studies exploit our biases—and what we can do about it. University of California Press.
Atkins, R. C. (1972). Dr. Atkins' diet revolution: The high calorie way to stay thin forever. New York: Bantam Books.
Seidelmann, Sara B. et al. (2018): ‘Dietary carbohydrate intake and mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis’, Lancet Public Health 3, E419–E428
DeLosh, Edward L., Jerome R. Busemeyer and Mark A. McDaniel (1997): ‘Extrapolation: the sine qua non for abstraction in function learning’, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 23, 968–86.
Fisher, Matthew and Frank Kiel (2018): ‘The binary bias: a systematic distortion in the integration of information’. Psychological Science 29, 1846–58
Sinek, S. (2009). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. Portfolio.
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown and Company.
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.
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27:06
Can 10,000 hours of practice make you great?
I explore the truth behind the famous 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. Today, Prof Alex Edmans uncovers why the rule persists despite its flaws and dives into the psychological biases that make misinformation so believable.
You’ll learn:
Why the 10,000-hour rule isn’t as universal as it seems (feat. insights from Alex Edmans).
How confirmation bias shapes beliefs—from the Atkins diet to Deepwater Horizon.
The dangers of narrative fallacy in explaining success (feat. 1975 Barry Staw study).
Real-world examples of misinformation, from Belle Gibson’s cancer cure claims to Volkswagen’s diesel scandal.
A simple mental trick to fight confirmation bias and save yourself from misleading ideas.
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Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist
Sign up to 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/
Alex’s book May Contain Lies: https://maycontainlies.com/
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Sources:
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown, and Company.
Edmans, A. (2024). May contain lies: How stories, statistics, and studies exploit our biases—and what we can do about it. University of California Press.
Kaplan, Jonas T., Sarah I. Gimbel and Sam Harris (2016): ‘Neural correlates of maintaining one’s political beliefs in the face of counterevidence’, Scientific Reports 6, 39589.
Wong, Nathan Colin (2015): ‘The 10,000-hour rule’, Canadian Urological Journal 9, 299.
Staw, Barry M. (1975): ‘Attribution of the “causes” of performance: a general alternative interpretation of cross-sectional research on organizations’, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 13, 414–32.
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36:35
What sets top negotiators apart?
Neil Rackham’s groundbreaking research uncovered what separates skilled negotiators from the average. Drawing insights from real-world negotiation sessions involving union disputes, management decisions, and high-stakes contracts, this episode unpacks the actual behaviour of skilled negotiations.
You’ll learn:
The specific ways skilled negotiators prepare differently from average negotiators (feat. 48 skilled negotiators).
Why immediate counterproposals can ruin a negotiation (feat. insight from 102 negotiations).
The critical role of long-term thinking in effective negotiations.
Key behaviours that skilled negotiators use to foster collaboration and transparency.
Practical tips you can use.
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Sign up to 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/
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Sources:
Rackham, N. (2003). The behavior of successful negotiators. McGraw Hill/Irwin, New York.
Reb, J., Luan, S., & Gigerenzer, G. (2024). Smart management: Why successful leaders must embrace simple strategies in an increasingly uncertain and complex world. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548014/smart-management/
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17:06
Can you see the invisible gorilla?
75% of us expect to spot the unexpected. But we’re wrong. Today on Nudge, Dan Simons shares his results from perhaps the world’s best-known psychology experiment: the Invisible Gorilla. Listen, and you’ll take part in our own audio version of his experiment, and I'll dig into research papers to learn how Dan’s findings apply to marketing.
Dan’s book Invisible Gorilla: https://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/
Dan’s book Nobody’s Fool: https://dansimons.com/NobodysFool.html
Outdoor Advertising Recall study: https://tinyurl.com/5e8s5nwv
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Ever noticed how the smallest changes can have the biggest impact? On Nudge, you'll learn simple evidence-backed tips to help you kick bad habits, get a raise, and grow a business. Every bite-sized 20-minute show comes packed with practical advice from admired entrepreneurs and behavioural scientists. Nudge is fast-paced but still insightful with real-world examples that you can apply - this is not your average business podcast.
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