Journey from Academia to Business and Importance of Empathy in Behavioral Science Applications

In episode 413 of The Brainy Business podcast, host Melina Palmer welcomes Dr. Melaina Vinski, the Behavioral Science Lead at IBM, for a deep dive into the practical applications of behavioral science in business and technology. Melaina, with her extensive background in cognitive neuroscience and human behavior, shares her journey from academia to leading behavioral science initiatives at major corporations like PwC Canada and IBM. She discusses the importance of mind wandering, mindfulness, and the integration of behavioral science into technology to create impactful solutions.

Melaina elaborates on her fascinating research experiences, including studying the effects of daylight savings on cognition in Iceland and exploring mindfulness at the Max Planck Institute. She also touches on the significance of empathy, stress management, and cognitive capacity in designing user-centric solutions in the financial services and insurance industries. The episode is packed with insights on how to apply behavioral science principles to drive strategic decision-making, enhance user experience, and improve business outcomes.

In this episode:

• Discover the impact of mind wandering and mindfulness on cognitive capacity and creativity.
• Learn about the integration of behavioral science into technology and its real-world applications.
• Understand the importance of empathy and stress management in user-centric design.
• Explore strategic decision-making frameworks that incorporate behavioral science principles.
• Gain insights into Melaina's journey from academia to leading behavioral science initiatives at IBM.

00:00:00 - Introduction Melina introduces Dr. Melaina Vinski, highlighting her role as the Behavioral Science Lead at IBM and her extensive background in cognitive neuroscience and human behavior.

00:04:12 - Melaina's Background and Journey Melaina shares her journey from academia to the corporate world, discussing her experiences at PwC Canada and IBM, and the transition from theoretical research to practical applications.

00:09:45 - Research on Mind Wandering and Mindfulness Melaina discusses her PhD research on mind wandering and mindfulness, including her studies on the effects of daylight savings in Iceland and mindfulness practices at the Max Planck Institute.

00:15:32 - The Importance of Empathy and Stress Management The conversation shifts to the significance of empathy and stress management in user-centric design, particularly in the financial services and insurance industries.

00:21:18 - Integrating Behavioral Science into Technology Melaina explains how behavioral science principles are integrated into technology at IBM to create impactful solutions, emphasizing the importance of strategic decision-making frameworks.

00:27:54 - Practical Applications and Examples Melaina provides examples of practical applications of behavioral science in business, including a case study on improving customer experience in the insurance industry.

00:34:06 - The Role of Cognitive Capacity in Creativity The discussion highlights the role of cognitive capacity in creativity and problem-solving, and the benefits of mind wandering and taking breaks for better decision-making.

00:40:22 - Building a Holistic Approach to Behavioral Science Melaina shares her approach to building a holistic behavioral science strategy, integrating various frameworks and tools to drive business outcomes.

00:46:15 - Closing Thoughts and Future Directions Melina and Melaina discuss the future directions of behavioral science in business and technology, and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

00:50:30 - Conclusion What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.

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Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode:

• What Your Employees Need and Can't Tell You, by Melina Palmer
• The Fun Habit, by Mike Rucker
• Happier Hour, by Cassie Holmes
• The Myth of Normal, by Gabor Maté
• Seven And A Half Lessons About The Brain, by Lisa Feldman Barrett

Top Recommended Next Episode: Jay Maddock Interview (ep 203)

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• Mike Rucker Interview (ep 251)
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