Curious Minds at Work

Hosted by Gayle Allen

Management Arts Books ScienceInterviews guests

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Episodes

325

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Want to get better at work? At managing others? Managing yourself? Gayle Allen interviews experts who take your performance to the next level. Each episode features a book with insights to help you achieve your goals.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 19, 202652 min

CM 328: Vanessa Bohns on When to Speak Up and When to Hold Back

We’ve all had moments when we’re not sure whether to say something. A friend is making a mistake. A colleague seems upset. We have something personal we want to share. Do we speak up? Stay quiet? And how do we know which choice is the right one? Social psychologist Vanessa Bohns studies what happens in these moments. She’s a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University and author of the new book, Should I Say Something? The Science of What to Share and What to Keep to Yourself. Her research reveals why we often misjudge how other people will respond and how those assumptions can lead us to share too much, say too little, or avoid conversations altogether. Vanessa helps us think differently about what it means to be honest, vulnerable, and open with other people. She also shares research we can use to make better decisions about when to say something and when it may be better to hold back. Resource Links 3 Ways to Make a Request That Doesn’t Feel Coercive Do New Hires Really Understand Your Policies Interview with Alison Wood Brooks, Episode 284 The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

September 5, 202644 min

CM 327: Adrian Owen on How to Sharpen Your Mind

When it comes to enhancing mental performance, we’re all looking for an edge. And while a healthy diet, regular exercise, and ample rest support healthy brain function, they can only get us so far. What really matters when it comes to improving our focus, regulating our emotions, or planning for our future, is taking a moment to think before we think. And to do that, we need to understand how our brains do these things, and what they need to do them well. Adrian Owen is a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario. He’s spent his career studying how we’re able to do the amazing things associated with our brain’s executive function, things he shares in his latest book, Think Before You Think: Understanding and Mastering Executive Function. This was a fascinating conversation. Episode Links Why Everyone Should Be Thinking More about Thinking Episode 191 with Lisa Feldman Barrett The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

August 22, 202645 min

CM 326: Gillian Sandstrom on How Small Talk Can Change Your Life

Opportunities for human connection are all around us. When we’re in a café. At a restaurant. In a checkout line. Each instance is an opportunity for small talk with a stranger. And these interactions can yield big benefits. Unfortunately, most of us are missing out. We’re not aware of how powerful these experiences can be. And that’s where researchers are sharing some incredible findings. University of Sussex psychology professor Gillian Sandstrom is one of these researchers. Gillian has spent decades studying how these kinds of connections work and what they give us. More recently, she’s been researching the link to kindness. And if you’re skeptical about talking to strangers, Gillian’s written a book, Once upon a Stranger: The Science of How “Small” Talk Can Add up to a Big Life, that may be what you need to change your mind. Episode Links Avoiding Loneliness During Life Transitions Don’t Dread Boring Small Talk. You’ll Like It More Than You Think The Big Benefits of Small Talk The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

August 8, 202653 min

CM 325: Donna Jackson Nakazawa on How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist

Most of us ruminate. We get caught in a loop of thoughts that replay over and over again. It’s as if our brain is stuck in a place we don’t want to be, yet we can’t break free. Over time, those repetitive thoughts can become the lens through which we see ourselves, other people, and the world—and that lens is often shaped more by fear than reality. Donna Jackson Nakazawa can help us break the cycle. An award-winning science journalist, Donna is the author of Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist. She spent years talking with researchers and clinicians to understand why we ruminate—and, more importantly, how we can shift from negative rumination toward creativity, curiosity, and growth. Donna shares practical tools I’m already putting into practice. This is a book I’ll return to again and again. Episode Links Are You Processing Your Emotions or Just Ruminating How to Escape a Thought Spiral Understanding Why We Get Lost in Thought Spiraling The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

July 25, 202651 min

CM 324: Margie Lachman on the Myth of the Midlife Crisis

Most of what we hear about the middle part of our lives is untrue. It’s focused on the myth of the midlife crisis rather than the realities of these years. This can create a sense of dread for a period of time with tremendous upside. Margie Lachman has spent her career studying midlife. She's author of the book, Primetime: A New Vision for Midlife, Professor of Psychology at Brandeis University, and an expert in adult development and aging. Margie also directs the Brandeis University's Lifespan Lab. This is a conversation about the complexities of midlife. In it Margie shares how to navigate them successfully. Episode Links The ‘Midlife Crisis’ is Overblown – It’s Actually an Opportunity Why Midlife Might Actually Be Awesome 5 Ways to Shape Your Health and Happiness in Midlife The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

July 11, 202650 min

CM 323: Britt Frank on Getting Unstuck – Rebroadcast

There are times in our lives where we feel stuck, be it personally or professionally. It might be in our career. It might in a relationship. We’re smart, so we try to think our way out of it. But when we’re really stuck, thinking can turn into ruminating. And the more we think, the more we stay stuck. That’s when the labeling kicks in. The voice in our head labels us lazy, or crazy, or just plain unmotivated. Today’s guest, Britt Frank, is a licensed specialist clinical social worker (LSCSW). She’s written the book, The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find your Path Forward. Britt’s the perfect person to teach us how thinking our way forward may not be the right tool for the job. In this interview, she explains how we get stuck and steps we can take to move through it. Episode Links How Long Does It Actually Take to Break a Bad Habit? Six Things Successful People Always Do in a Conversation Do Hard Things by Steve Magness The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

June 27, 202649 min

CM 322: Tess Wilkinson-Ryan on When to Play the Fool – Rebroadcast

No one wants to feel like a sucker. In fact, the very thought of being one – of playing the fool – shapes our behavior in powerful ways. But what if our fear causes us to make choices that aren’t good for us? Or worse, what if people weaponize our fear in order to dominate or disempower us? Tess Wilkinson-Ryan has written a stunning book on the topic called, Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order and What We Can Do about It. A psychologist and law professor, Tess helps us understand what this fear is, why we have it, and how it plays out in law, politics, and everyday life. She also shares how to overcome it and make the decisions that are aligned with our goals. It’s a book you’ll keep thinking about long after you’ve read it. Episode Links Breach is for Suckers Transferring Trust: Reciprocity of Norms and Assignment of Contract Moral Judgment and Moral Heuristics in Breach of Contract Njinga of Angola: Africa’s Warrior Queen by Linda Heywood The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

June 13, 202652 min

CM 321: Elizabeth Svoboda on Managing the Pace of Your Life

Runners have pacers to help them manage their energy throughout a race. They couple that with a training program that balances extreme and moderate effort with rest. Research shows that this balanced approach ensures a stronger performance. Like professional athletes, we, too, seek high performance. But we may not realize that, like runners, we need to manage the pace of our lives. That’s where science journalist Elizabeth Svoboda comes in. Curious about the way athletes build rest into their workouts, she wondered if their recovery plans could help the rest of us. This research informs her book, The Art of Pacing: A Guide to Balancing Short-Term Demands with Long-Term Thriving. In it, she shares a range of effective tips that include personal storytelling, modulation, and much more. Related Links How to Find Inner Resolve in Times of Upheaval An Athletic Coach for the Mind? Interview with Malissa Clark The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

May 30, 202643 min

CM 320: Jonathan Rhodes on Getting the Life You Want – Rebroadcast

There’s a lot to be said for the excitement we feel when we first set a goal for ourselves. The sense of exhilaration can give us the momentum we need to get started. But when the exhilaration wears off – and it usually does – we’re faced with a choice. Will we revert to old habits or develop new ones? These moments are what Jonathan Rhodes calls choice points, and the decisions we make can really add up. Ultimately, how we manage ourselves in these moments can be the difference between the life we have and the life we want. That’s why I wanted to interview Jonathan Rhodes, author of the book, The Choice Point: The Scientifically Proven Method to Push Past Mental Walls and Achieve Your Goals. His Functional Imagery Training provides a concrete roadmap to help us stay the course. Episode Links Tokyo 2020: Simone Biles’ Withdrawal is a Sign of Resilience and Strength How to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.

May 16, 202657 min

CM 319: David Epstein on the Power of Limits

We think we need complete freedom to achieve our goals. But maybe freedom is the problem. What if, instead, constraints are what we really need? That’s the question David Epstein was curious about. David Epstein is author of the bestselling books, Range and The Sports Gene. In his latest book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, he combs through the research and tracks down the stories of just how powerful constraints can be. David shares these lessons with us in his book. He also shares how he applied these lessons to the process of writing this book. In a world of overwhelm, David’s book is a comforting oasis and a powerful guide. Related Links Five Rules for Getting out of Your Own Way Why Your Best Ideas Aren’t Original Interview with Gloria Mark on Focus and Attention The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.