Behavioral Grooves Podcast Why Who You Know Still Matters | Toby Stuart
Oct 13, 2025
Toby Stuart, a Professor at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and author of *Anointed: How Status Shapes Our Lives*, discusses the vital role of status in shaping careers and culture. He explores how traditional markers of merit are increasingly overshadowed by societal shortcuts like pedigree in an AI-driven world. Stuart delves into the Matthew Effect, demonstrating how small advantages can snowball over time. With insights on status hierarchies and biases in networking, he challenges listeners to reconsider how status influences their lives and decisions.
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Status As Invisible Architecture
- Status is an invisible architecture that shapes careers, relationships, and daily decisions.
- Toby Stuart argues status operates through merit, anointment, and ascribed traits.
Use The Three-Source Status Framework
- Recognize three sources of status: earned merit, anointment by high-status actors, and ascribed characteristics.
- Use this framework to diagnose why people gain advantage in different groups.
Resume Audit Study Reveals Racial Bias
- Toby describes an audit study where identical resumes only differ by name that cues race.
- Callback rates differ dramatically, illustrating racial status bias in hiring.
