Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Raj Choudhury joins us to explore how “Work From Anywhere” is more than a trend—it’s a research-backed blueprint for improving productivity, well-being, and talent access. From managing time zones to building culture without offices, Raj breaks down what it takes to make remote work really work. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Raj Choudhury [4:16] Benefits of Work From Anywhere [12:14] Challenges and Solutions to Remote Work [18:50] Real Company Examples: Zapier, Cisco, Atlassian [24:00] Why Leaders Resist Remote Work [35:15] Bringing WFA to Traditional Organizations [42:30] What’s Changed since 2020 [44:00] Desert Island Music Picks [46:00] Grooving Session: Rethinking How We View Work ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links About Raj [https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=327154] The World is Your Office by Raj Choudhury [https://www.amazon.com/World-Your-Office-Productivity-Innovation/dp/1647824710] Tulsa Remote Program [https://www.tulsaremote.com/] Make My Move - Remote Work [https://www.makemymove.com/] Join the Behavioral Grooves community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025501742354651] Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@behavioralgrooves] Musical Links Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGorjBVag0I] Tagore - Unending Love [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3fVOXjFoMs]

Are you like Kurt, stuck wearing a pair of 'lucky socks' every time your team plays, no matter what the outcome of the game turns out to be? In this month's bonus, we explore why we hold onto superstitions, like lucky socks, even when we know they don't work. From BF Skinner's pigeons to social identity theory, we unpack the behavioral science behind our game-day rituals, however irrational, and discuss the sense of agency, control, and belonging that they create.  Topics [0:00] Intro: Kurt's Lucky Socks [3:38] The Placebo Effect [7:27] Mistaking Correlation for Causation [11:58] Social Identity and Group Belonging [16:34] The Psychological Benefits of Superstitions Links Join our Substack! [https://bgpodcast.substack.com/] Join the Behavioral Grooves community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025501742354651] Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@behavioralgrooves]

UX leader Alexis Mook joins us to talk about breaking bias in product design, defending the role of behavioral research inside corporate structures, and making the leap from academia to tech. From wrongful convictions to third-party testing, this conversation reveals why saying “no” might be a researcher’s greatest superpower. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Alexis Mook [7:50] Alexis’s Role and Journey at IBM [20:58] Challenges and Biases in UX Research [22:03] Impact of Research on Product Development [31:49] The Shift from Academia and Career Satisfaction [43:10] Grooving Session: Reducing Bias and Challenging Overconfidence ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links Alexis on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexismook/] Join the Behavioral Grooves community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025501742354651] Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@behavioralgrooves] Musical Links Miley Cyrus - Flowers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7KNmW9a75Y] Blink-182 - All the Small Things [https://youtu.be/9Ht5RZpzPqw?si=tUuHAFZCENO7VyMh]

Zach Mercurio joins us to discuss the power of mattering—why it's a foundational human need and how it can be cultivated through small but meaningful interactions. From leadership strategies to personal stories, we explore how feeling seen, heard, and valued changes everything. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Zach Mercurio [3:31] Why Mattering Matters [11:29] Purpose, Meaning, and Mattering: What’s the Difference? [16:21] Mattering as a Survival Instinct [26:14] “If It Wasn’t For You…” [35:22] The Importance of Mattering in Leadership [40:55] The Role of Mattering in Organizational Culture [45:37] The Impact of Mattering on Employee Engagement [49:50] Desert Island Music Picks [52:42] Grooving Session: Mattering is Common Sense, Not Common Practice ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links More About Zach [https://www.zachmercurio.com/] The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio [https://www.amazon.com/Power-Mattering-Leaders-Culture-Significance/dp/B0D8XMWCLJ/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=] Join the Behavioral Grooves community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025501742354651] Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@behavioralgrooves] Music Links Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Won’t Back Down [https://youtu.be/nvlTJrNJ5lA?si=8YgfggJ_OIRLk_OT] Foo Fighters - The Pretender [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ]

What if your personality isn’t fixed? Olga Khazan shares how she deliberately set out to become more extroverted, agreeable, and emotionally stable—using improv, mindfulness, and science-backed strategies. Based on her book Me, But Better, this conversation explores how real change happens, and why connecting with others may be the key to becoming who you want to be. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Olga Khazan [5:59] Experiment: Can I Change My Personality? [9:59] Results: What Changed, What Didn’t? [17:43] Nature vs. Nurture in Personality [21:46] Personality Traits as Tools for Life [29:31] Can Older Adults Still Change? [38:39] Solitude vs. True Connection [43:45] Olga’s Music Playlist [45:46] Grooving Session: Working on the Personality We Want ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links About Olga [https://olgakhazan.com/] Me, But Better by Olga Khazan [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Me-But-Better/Olga-Khazan/9781668012543] Big 5 Personality Test [https://www.personalityassessor.com/] Nathan Hudson’s Research [https://www.nathanwhudson.com/research/] Join the Behavioral Grooves community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025501742354651] Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@behavioralgrooves] Musical Links ODESZA - The Last Goodbye [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLKoiq6Su-8] Chapell Roan - Good Luck, Babe [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RKqOmSkGgM]