Do you find it tough to make decisions? Do you get stuck coming up with options (or overwhelmed by too many of them)? Or maybe you worry about how people will take your decision and if they’ll disagree with it? Do you often grapple with guilt or regret after making a final call? A dentist who directs a public health clinic wants to gain confidence in her ability to make sound decisions. Behavioral scientist Leslie John shares methods for not overthinking, preempting pushback, and making peace with a tough call. Guest expert: Leslie John is a behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School. Resources: “Making Great Decisions,” by Women at Work HBR Guide to Making Better Decisions, by Harvard Business Review “How to Make a High-Stakes Decision,” by Amy Gallo “How to Deliver Bad News to Your Employees,” by Amy Gallo “How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly,” by Martin G. Moore Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter. Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Leslie John, associate professor at Harvard Business School, has done some deep research into the ways that people self-promote in their professional lives and identified what works and what doesn’t. She says it is possible tout your own accomplishments without annoying your colleagues, if you do it at the right time or enlist others to boast on your behalf. She notes that many common workarounds — such as humblebragging — are highly ineffective and advises people to not only look for more natural opportunities to self-promote but also try to present balanced views of themselves. She’s full of tips you can put to work, even in virtual settings. John is the author of the HBR article “Savvy Self-Promotion.”

Harvard Business School's Brian Kenny is joined by professors to distill the school's legendary case studies into podcast form, giving listeners important takeaways they can use in their own businesses and careers. In this episode, Harvard Business School professors Leslie John and Mitch Weiss discuss a case on the city of Toronto, and how it is experimenting with various smart city ideas born of the Google spin-off Sidewalk Labs. "Cold Call" is part of HBR Presents, a new network of business podcasts curated by HBR editors. For our full lineup of shows, search “HBR” on your favorite podcast app or visit hbr.org/podcasts.