Behavioral Grooves Podcast

Global behavior expert Ken Hughes joins us for a fast-paced, funny, and thought-provoking conversation about creativity, brand loyalty, and what it really takes to build emotional connections in a digital world. From painting his toenails to drinking his own urine (seriously), Ken shares lessons from a year of trying something new every day—alongside sharp insights on how companies can break out of routine thinking, embrace vulnerability, and create customer experiences that truly matter. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Ken Hughes [10:44] Efficiency vs. Creativity: Why Getting Lost Matters [14:54] Creativity in the Workplace [24:38] Emotional Loyalty and Brand Intimacy [30:40] Brand Intimacy Examples: United and Virgin Airlines [39:48] Emotional Intelligence in Leadership [45:57] Advice for Leaders on Navigating Change [48:13] Desert Island Music [51:01] Grooving Session: The Role of Diversity and Creativity at Work ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links About Ken [https://www.kenhughes.info/] Join us on 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] Musical Links U2 - Vertigo [https://youtu.be/98W9QuMq-2k?si=7P3iReDiTRjfDh3Z] Sting - Shape of My Heart [https://youtu.be/NlwIDxCjL-8?si=fLuYiNUCtgI4D1RJ]

Abby Davisson, co-author of Money and Love, joins us to discuss why life’s biggest decisions—from careers to relationships—require both emotional insight and rational thinking. She shares her 5C framework for making confident choices, reveals how love and money are more connected than we think, and offers practical tools to navigate values, identity, and financial conversations—no matter your relationship status. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Abby Davisson [7:59] What Factors Influence Relationship Satisfaction [13:05] The 5C Framework for Decision Making [22:46] Applying 5C to Different Life Stages [32:23] Balancing Finanvial Decisions and Relationships [39:00] Desert Island Music [45:00] Grooving Session: Identity, Emotion, and Applying 5C to Your Life ©2025 Behavioral Grooves Links More About Abby [https://www.abbydavisson.com/] Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap For Life’s Biggest Decisions by Myra Strober and Abby Davisson [https://www.moneylovebook.com/] Join us on 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] Music Links Beyoncé - American Requiem [https://youtu.be/vp3BSjJdyow?si=WEqVuS9orVJ4Mw14] The Beatles - Come Together [https://youtu.be/45cYwDMibGo?si=7Y25ljn76GbCYLif]

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]