Think Fast Talk Smart: "Power Play: Successfully Navigate Power, Status, and Influence at Work"

What makes one workplace hierarchy motivating and another toxic? This week on If/Then, we’re sharing a conversation between two Stanford GSB colleagues: Think Fast, Talk Smart host Matt Abrahams and organizational behavior professor Nir Halevy. Drawing on research from his new book, Level Up: Why Hierarchies Are Broken and How to Fix Them, Nir explains why some hierarchies become overly competitive, unfair, or unstable — and why the answer isn’t necessarily to get rid of them. Matt and Nir explore how everyday communication can help repair unhealthy dynamics, why recognizing different kinds of contribution can strengthen teams, and how leaders can create environments where competition and collaboration can coexist. It’s a conversation about the structures that shape how we work, and the role each of us can play in making them work better. Related Content: Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast Matt Abrahams Nir Halevy Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Understanding Hierarchies 03:43 Signs of Broken Hierarchies 05:43 Fixing Unhealthy Hierarchies 06:56 Building Healthy Hierarchies 10:05 Competition and Collaboration 11:29 Communication and Hierarchies 14:03 Construal Fit 17:36 Humor and Competence 19:47 The Final Three Questions See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.