The stories we tell at work with Grace Lordan

PodcastSeptember 05, 2022

How I choose to see the world on a particular day, how I choose to talk to myself, and the stories that I tell myself really sum up how I actually experience work.

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Intro

In this episode of The Decision Corner, Brooke is joined by Grace Lordan, an associate professor of Behavioral Science at LSE and author of Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want. Together they discuss the importance of narratives in the workplace, and how the stories that we tell can improve opportunities, diversity, and well-being within organizations. 

This podcast covers a variety of topics, including:

  •  How marginalized communities can wield behavioral science to shatter glass ceilings
  •  Why having a growth mindset often falls short - and how talking to three people can fix it 
  •  A numerical strategy to prevent likeability from biasing your hiring decisions
  •  The paradox of cronyism in the workplace
  •  How to defeat the “cascade effect” that causes toxic meeting environments

About the Guest

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Grace Lordan

Dr. Grace Lordan is an associate professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Founding Director of the Inclusion Initiative, a program that brings together teaching, research, and practice to build inclusive work environments. An economist by training, Dr. Lordan’s research focuses on behavioural biases, occupational sorting, diversity and inclusion, conduct, culture and groupthink. 

Outside of academia, Dr. Lordan is an accomplished writer and speaker. Her insights have been featured in the ​​Financial Times and Harvard Business Review, and top finance and technology firms regularly lean on her insights through speaking engagements. Her first book Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future you Want, is slated for publication on March 25th, 2022. A trusted advisor, she uses her expertise to guide the UK Government’s skills and productivity board, the BEIS social mobility taskforce, and the Women in Finance Charter.

About the Interviewer

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Dr. Brooke Struck

Dr. Brooke Struck is the Research Director at The Decision Lab. He is an internationally recognized voice in applied behavioural science, representing TDL’s work in outlets such as Forbes, Vox, Huffington Post and Bloomberg, as well as Canadian venues such as the Globe & Mail, CBC and Global Media. Dr. Struck hosts TDL’s podcast “The Decision Corner” and speaks regularly to practicing professionals in industries from finance to health & wellbeing to tech & AI.

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