The future of social hierarchies

Nir Halevy, an expert on organizational behavior, first grew interested in social hierarchies as a basketball fan. He now studies what makes for healthy workplaces. Organizational hierarchies can be beneficial, but can turn toxic. When people have power without status – control but little respect – conflict often follows. Halevy says that collaboration, not competition, is key to employee well-being. “If you care about freedom, seek cooperative environments. They will liberate you,” Halevy tells listeners – and host Russ Altman – on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected]. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Nir Halevy Learn more about Nir’s Book ‘Level Up’ Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Nir Halevy, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the dynamics of power, status, and hierarchy. (00:03:42) Studying Social Influence How Halevy became interested in the ways people gain influence in groups, teams, and organizations. (00:05:40) What Is a Hierarchy? How formal and informal hierarchies emerge around power, status, achievement, and influence. (00:07:56) Why Hierarchies Are Sticky The Positive and negative forces that contribute to the persistence of hierarchies (00:10:15) Navigating Hierarchies How people lower in a hierarchy can influence others without resorting to manipulation or undermining colleagues. (00:13:01) Power vs. Status Why having control over resources is different from being respected and admired. (00:14:36) The Danger of Power Without Status How low status combined with power can fuel resentment, conflict, and abuse of authority. (00:16:39) Respect and Recognition Why giving people dignity, appreciation, and status can matter as much as giving them more power. (00:20:03) Autonomy at Work How cooperation and competition shape people’s sense of freedom and control in the workplace. (00:23:26) Secrets at Work How workplace secrecy can increase stress and loneliness while also making work feel more meaningful and important. (00:25:30) Supporting People in Confidential Work Why social support can help reduce the isolation that comes with confidential work. (00:26:12) Three Dimensions of Wellbeing How happiness, interestingness, and meaningfulness can each shape the experience of work. (00:28:30) A Pluralistic Approach to Leadership Why recognizing different ways people contribute can help leaders support status, value, and wellbeing. (00:29:54) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: cooperation, work-life balance, research partnerships, and hope for the future. (00:30:56) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.