Behavioral Grooves Podcast

The Influence Equation: Simple Steps to Persuade Better | Steve Martin

Dec 2, 2024

Steve Martin, faculty director at Columbia Business School and a bestselling author on persuasion, explores how the science of influence can reshape workplaces. He introduces the 'influence equation'—a blend of evidence, economics, and emotion—as a framework for ethical persuasion. Steve discusses practical strategies for making small tweaks that drive meaningful behavioral shifts and emphasizes the need to embed behavioral insights across organizations. His insights are valuable for anyone looking to harness influence effectively in their professional interactions.

01:10:57

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Episode guests

Steve Martin

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Quick takeaways

The influence equation combines evidence, economics, and emotion, enabling more effective persuasion within various professional contexts.

Incentive design is crucial for behavior change, demonstrating how strategic adjustments can significantly impact results in organizations.

Embedding behavioral insights across all departments fosters collaboration and enhances decision-making, ultimately improving workplace dynamics and outcomes.

Deep dives

The Importance of Understanding Influence

Influence plays a crucial role in almost every workplace, highlighting the need for effective communication skills. The conversation centers on Robert Cialdini's foundational work on influence, stressing the value of understanding persuasive techniques rather than avoiding them. Listeners are encouraged to view influence as a necessary skill in professional settings, as job descriptions frequently include words like persuade, connect, and convince. By embracing the principles laid out in Cialdini's research, individuals can enhance their effectiveness in collaborative environments.

Intro

1min

The Power of Ethical Persuasion in the Workplace

3min

The Art of Influence: Balancing Evidence and Emotion

23min

The Timeless Value of Influence in the Workplace

3min

Engagement and Influence in Behavioral Science

12min

Musical Reflections on a Desert Island

3min

Understanding Influence in the Workplace

7min

The Power of Incentives in Organizations

18min

How can the science of persuasion reshape your workplace?

This week, we sit down with Steve Martin to discuss the principles behind his latest book, Influence at Work, and unpack the “influence equation”—a powerful framework that blends evidence, economics, and emotion to drive ethical and effective persuasion. Steve shares actionable strategies for crafting influence, highlighting how small tweaks in incentives and timing can lead to surprising and meaningful behavioral shifts.

We also dive into why behavioral insights shouldn’t be confined to a single department. Steve argues for embedding these principles across an organization, emphasizing how doing so can elevate decision-making, foster collaboration, and drive positive outcomes at every level.

Whether you're leading a team, managing a project, or navigating workplace dynamics, this conversation is packed with actionable wisdom to help you integrate behavioral science into your day-to-day decisions and harness the power of influence for good. Tune in to learn how understanding and applying these insights can transform not just your organization, but your role within it.

Topics

[0:00] Intro: The Power of Influence in Behavioral Science

[3:51] Speed Round with Steve Martin

[10:56] The Influence Equation and its Applications

[17:12] Everyday Applications of Behavioral Science

[35:41] The Role of Emotion and Timing in Influence

[42:35] Desert Island Music

[46:21] Grooving Session: Influence, the Importance of Incentives, and the Future of Behavioral Science

Links

Influence At Work: Capture attention, connect with others, convince people to act

About Steve Martin

Global Association of Applied Behavioral Scientists