Charles Duhigg on The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators
Feb 11, 2025
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In this conversation with Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, listeners dive into the world of habit formation and effective communication. Duhigg explains the key components of establishing habits and shares insights on how transformative practices can reshape organizations. He also discusses the art of communication, emphasizing active listening and the importance of asking deeper questions. With engaging anecdotes, he highlights how to nurture meaningful relationships amidst the challenges of modern dialogue.
Effective communication is vital for personal and career success, influencing leadership and professional relationships significantly.
Habit formation consists of three components: cue, routine, and reward, which are essential for creating positive behavior changes.
Duhigg emphasizes that the traits of effective communicators can be learned through practice, enhancing connections in both personal and professional interactions.
Deep dives
The Role of Communication in Success
Effective communication is identified as a crucial factor for personal and career success. The podcast emphasizes that the ability to connect with others and convey thoughts clearly can significantly influence leadership and professional relationships. The guest shares insights from his career as an investigative journalist, underlining how mastering communication can enhance interactions in various fields. This highlights the importance of developing communication skills for anyone looking to advance in their careers.
Charles Duhigg's Journey to Journalism
Charles Duhigg recounts his journey from a debate enthusiast in a large family to becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. He expresses how his passion for storytelling was ignited during his formative years and how he transitioned from business to journalism. His experiences in college taught him the power of persistence and adaptability, especially when he encountered uncertainties about his future. This journey illustrates the importance of following one's passions and being open to what life presents.
Understanding Habits: Cue, Routine, Reward
Duhigg explains the three fundamental components of habit formation: cue, routine, and reward. Each habit in daily life consists of a triggering cue, the behavior itself, and a satisfying reward that reinforces the habit. He illustrates this concept by discussing personal struggles, like maintaining fitness, and how understanding these elements can help in creating new, healthier habits. This insight emphasizes the necessity of identifying these components for effective habit change.
The Keystone Habit: Foundation for Change
The concept of a keystone habit is explored, which represents a foundational habit that catalyzes improvement in other areas of life or an organization. Duhigg shares the example of Paul O'Neill's focus on workplace safety at Alcoa and how it transformed the company's overall culture and productivity. By prioritizing this singular focus, many other positive changes were triggered throughout the organization. This illustrates how concentrating on key habits can produce meaningful and widespread improvements.
Becoming a Super Communicator
Duhigg's latest work addresses the traits of effective communicators, emphasizing that these are learnable skills rather than innate talents. He argues that anyone can become a super communicator by actively practicing skills such as empathetic listening and asking thoughtful questions. The podcast suggests that these skills foster connection and engagement in conversations, enhancing both personal and professional relationships. This perspective encourages listeners to invest time in developing their communication abilities for greater influence and understanding.
Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and the bestselling author of three books: The Power of Habit, Smarter Faster Better and his latest, Supercommunicators, which was published this year. Charles is a winner of the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards, and he currently writes for The New Yorker and several other publications.
Charles joined host Robert Glazer on the Elevate Podcast to talk about habit formation, how to become an excellent communicator, and much more.