Berkeley Talks Why kind leaders finish first (according to science)
A broad group of leaders from academia and the private sector — including UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons and neuroscientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas of the Greater Good Science Center — discuss how kindness is a strategic asset rather than a professional weakness, and why the traditional “jerk” model of leadership is scientifically flawed.
This shift toward evidence-based management, the panelists point out, is backed by massive datasets.
“When companies perform very well, we find that prosocial CEOs are more likely to share credit with others,” explains Weili Ge, a professor at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, drawing on data from a decadelong analysis of 3,500 corporate leaders.
“And when firms don't do well,” she continues, “they're less likely to shift the blame, they're more likely to take responsibility. This is quite different from self-centered CEOs, who are more likely to take credit when things go well and shift the blame when things don't go well."
The panelists include:
- Rich Lyons: 12th chancellor of UC Berkeley
- Emiliana Simon-Thomas: Science director at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center
- Weili Ge: Professor of accounting at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business
- Yamini Rangan: CEO of HubSpot, Berkeley alum
- KeyAnna Schmiedl: Chief human experience officer at Workhuman
- Denis Ring: Former CEO of Ocho Chocolates, creator of the Whole Foods 365 brand
- Kia Afcari (moderator): Director of Greater Good Workplaces at the Greater Good Science Center
The event, which took place on Dec. 1, 2025, was hosted by the Greater Good Science Center in partnership with the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation.
Listen to the episode and read the transcript on UC Berkeley News (news.berkeley.edu/podcasts/berkeley-talks).
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