Behind the Brilliance

Jonah Berger is an internationally recognized expert in persuasion and change. In addition to being a professor at Wharton, he's written three books that help leaders and innovators create change in their organizations and lives. In this conversation, we discuss Jonah's best advice and the surprising tips that work for being more influential and effective personally and professionally. Whether you're leading a group at work or trying to persuade family members at home, this conversation has proven advice to improve your outcomes.  Behind His Brilliance: Curiosity Say hi to Jonah on Twitter: @j1berger

Steve White went from humble beginnings in the midwest to the C suite of Comcast’s West Division. The journey was littered with hard won lessons on leadership and the habits required to create massive success. After driving revenue of nearly $18 billion, he’s learned what it takes to achieve organizational success and personal significance. He unveils how he achieved his vision and how you can too. Behind His Brilliance: Effort and Attitude  Say hi to Steve on Twitter: @stevewhiteinc

BTB listener Michelle asked Lisa’s thoughts and personal journey to creating and sustaining healthy friendships. Lisa opens up about how and why she struggled in this area, what she learned, and the way she created new friendships. She offers thought exercises for evaluating friendships and offers wise reminders.

Dr. Erin C. Westgate holds a Ph.D. in social psychology and uses it as a researcher and assistant professor. Her work explores boredom, inner lives, and thoughts. In this conversation, we turn boring research studies into insight with interesting stories and useful advice.  Plus, we explore productive procrastination, the profound thing Erin's changed her mind about recently, and why we should all be pursuing psychological richness over happiness.  Behind Her Brilliance: a family that embraced curiosity Say hi to Erin on Twitter: @erinwestgate

Sam Jennings is an accomplished artist and creative director whose credits include megastars like Prince and Pearl Jam. But he's so much more than his collaborations. His thoughtful approach to his work and his artistic integrity is what's led him on creative adventures that pushed boundaries and made waves. In this conversation, he connects the dots and shares the secrets of working with teams of all kinds, staying true to self as an artist, and making a living as a modern creative professional.  Behind His Brilliance: Being Inspired by Other Artists  Say hi to Sam on Twitter: @samjennings

Katrina Adams has gone from the west side of Chicago to the pinnacles of the tennis world as an athlete, executive, and commentator. Alongside her long list of accomplishments is a long list of lessons learned including how to recover from setbacks, how to perform under pressure, and why it's essential to be self-directed. In this conversation, she shares the gems that have allowed her to go from the the tennis court to the board room successfully. Behind Her Brilliance: Being Herself Say hi to Katrina on Twitter: @katadams68

Katy Milkman turns dense research into usable tactics for daily life. From saving more money to losing weight, Katy's findings and summaries in her bestselling book, How to Change, are woven into this conversation. We explore what to do when motivation wanes, when to create fresh starts for greatest effect, the best approach to building new habits, and more.  Behind Her Brilliance: Luck  Say hi to Katy on Twitter: @katy_milkman

Lisa welcomes listeners to Season 12 of the show and offers a peek at what's to come. 

Lisa recaps the episodes of Season 11 and shares key takeaways. 

Mike Maser found himself way up the corporate ladder that was leaning against the wrong wall. He knew he couldn't keep coasting so he took the leap into entrepreneurship. The journey wasn't a smooth one, but it led him to running Big Sky Health, a company using technology to build thoughtful wellness apps. During this conversation, we talked about the good, bad, and harrowing of Mike's journey. He shares hard won wisdom and perspective on re-imaging your life and work to reflect your values.  Say hi to Mike on Twitter or Instagram: @mmaser