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AI is failing most companies, trapping employees in digital exhaustion. The real problem isn't the technology, but the organization itself. Forget fixing your models—the path to true transformation is redesigning your workflows, structure, and human collaboration to finally work with AI. In this episode, Rebecca Hinds, Head of the Work AI Institute at Glean, unpacks insights from the Work Transformation 100 study, revealing what 100+ leaders, technologists, and researchers are doing differently to make AI actually work. You'll learn how AI needs to be embedded in the flow of work, why organizational structure eats AI for breakfast, how centralization and decentralization must coexist, and how leaders can avoid automating the soul of work by preserving ownership, creativity, and accountability. Rebecca breaks down the emerging collaboration between HR and IT, the rise of agentic workflows, the role of telemetry data in measuring AI adoption, and why flattening org charts for the sake of AI often backfires. She also shares real examples of bottom-up and top-down AI change, the impact of digital exhaustion, and the critical importance of redesigning processes and incentives before redesigning technology. This episode is every CHRO's playbook to lead AI transformation with human insight, organizational clarity, and people-first strategy, not hype. ________________ This Episode is sponsored by Glean: The AI Transformation 100 is here — Glean's Work AI Institute reveals what's really working with AI at work The AI Transformation 100, authored by Dr. Rebecca Hinds, Head of the Work AI Institute at Glean and Stanford's Bob Sutton surfaces 100 hard-won lessons from leaders actually deploying AI at scale. It's not about what AI could do — it's about what works, what fails, and what companies have to get right to make AI real. One takeaway: AI doesn't fix broken systems. It amplifies them. ________________ Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Future-ready organizations are built, not hoped for. My latest book, -The 8 Laws of Employee Experience shows how. Preorder here: 8EXLaws.com
Stanford professor Bob Sutton, coauthor of Scaling Up Excellence, explains how leaders can expand what's working in their organizations without letting growth dilute their success. He also shares the patterns that separate those who scale successfully from those whose early wins never catch on.
This week on the Truth Works podcast, Jessica Neal sits down with Bob Sutton, Michael Arena, and Beth Steinberg to unpack one of the most debated topics in organizational design — flat vs hierarchical structures.Drawing on lessons from companies like GM, Nvidia, and Netflix, they explore how culture, leadership, and network dynamics drive innovation and accountability. From Michael Arena's experience at General Motors to Beth Steinberg's work in shaping talent at high-growth startups, and Bob Sutton's decades of Stanford research on power and scaling — this conversation reveals what truly makes organizations thrive (or collapse) as they grow.If you've ever wondered how companies like Nvidia maintain speed and creativity without chaos, this episode is a masterclass in the art and science of organizational design.
In this episode of Truth Works, hosts Jessica Neal and Bob Sutton sit down with Laszlo Bock, a trailblazer in the world of people analytics, and the former head of HR at Google. Laszlo shares his remarkable journey, including his time at Google and his transition into entrepreneurship. The conversation dives deep into the evolution of corporate culture, how data is transforming the way we hire, and the importance of challenging the status quo to create meaningful organizational change.Laszlo also touches on some fascinating stories, including a pivotal experiment at Google to test hiring practices, and why sometimes, “constructive defiance” is a key weapon in driving positive change. With insights on the intersection of leadership, innovation, and people strategy, Laszlo offers valuable takeaways for those looking to reshape their approach to business and leadership.Tune in to hear about the power of data-driven decision-making, how to build a better workplace, and the wisdom that comes from thinking outside the box.
In this thought-provoking episode of Truth Works, organizational visionary Michele Zanini joins Jessica Neal and Bob Sutton to unpack the tyranny of bureaucracy and the bold promise of humanocracy. Co-author of the updated book Humanocracy, Michele explains why traditional management systems fail to inspire innovation, agility, or meaning—and how companies like Netflix, Roche, and even the U.S. Army are rewriting the rules.Together, they explore:Why companies become bureaucratic over timeThe flipside: unleashing resourceful people instead of controlling themRadical models of leadership, autonomy, and peer accountabilityHow culture is built through operating systems—not slogansIf you're a founder, HR leader, or executive trying to unshackle your team from inertia and unleash real human potential, this one is for you.
In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I'm joined by Bob Sutton, organizational psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of several influential books on leadership, behavior, and workplace culture, including his latest: The Friction Project.We explore insights from across his body of work, including real-world examples of large organizations that have figured out how to operate more effectively and ethically—despite the inherent messiness of human systems.We discuss:• Ideas from The Knowing-Doing Gap, including the importance of psychological safety and a breakdown of “the smart talk trap”• Why even the best-run companies are still flawed• The surprising number of companies owned by private foundations, including Hershey Chocolate and Ikea• How well-run organizations resist management fads while staying open to real innovation• A story from Tim Cook about critical thinking in HR—and the cost of over-hiring• “Addition sickness”: what happens when too many people work on a problem• Strategies for removing friction• The “No Asshole Rule”: why toxic leaders damage performance and morale• The best founders strike the right balance between confidence and humility • And much more!—Brought to you by:• Ahrefs – Get instant website traffic insights, without the noise. Learn more. —Where to find Bob Sutton: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobsutton1/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobsutton.net• Website: https://bobsutton.net/—Where to find Eric:• Newsletter:https://ericries.carrd.co/ • Podcast:https://ericriesshow.com/ • YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow —In This Episode We Cover:(00:00) Intro(01:45) Insights from The Knowing Doing Gap(09:29) How Becky Margiotta rewarded the doers of her 100,000 homes project (12:24) An explanation of why every organization is flawed (21:32) A case for still trying to improve the way companies are run (26:03) How larger organizations always do things worse—some worse than others(27:58) A case of organizational improvement: The California Department of Motor Vehicles (29:58) Companies owned by private foundations and other unique models(33:52) Lessons from Tim Cook around thinking critically about hiring(36:26) Addition sickness(39:58) Strategies for removing friction and adding good friction (46:42) Simple practices that work(49:50) The ‘no asshole' rule(52:32) The pitfalls of holacracy and an explanation of ‘stagegate'(57:18) Why founders sometimes need to step back after scaling(1:01:09) Advice for founders who want to stay CEOs and operate in founder mode(1:04:40) The importance of ‘torchbearers' and resisting pressures for short-term gains(1:08:30) A case for doing things the right way, even if you don't have to (1:11:05) How corruption eventually degrades an organization (1:18:03) Lightning round—You can find episode references at https://www.ericriesshow.com/—Production and marketing by Pen Name.Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.
Send us a textOur guest today is the brilliant – and the ever-curious – Dr. Cecelia Herbert, a Workplace Behavioral Scientist and a Doctor of Organizational Psychology with a career as a practitioner, academic, and consultant that spans more than two decades. After years as a senior leader in Employee Engagement at Google, she joined Qualtrics in 2019 to establish and lead XM Advisory Services in Asia Pacific, partnering with organizations across the globe to design, mature, and grow their experience management programs. As part of the global XM Institute team, Dr Herbert is focused on building a thriving community of Experience Management professionals, who are empowered and inspired to radically improve human experiences. [03:20s] Her journey into organizational psychology [09:44s] Organizational psychology key insights [16:10s] Intersection with EQ [22:11s] Acceleration of organizational optimization in a post-pandemic world [30:49s] Human-centric organizational transformation: ‘Often, change is done to people, not with them.' [46:33s] Evolution of employee experience [51:28s] RWL: Cecelia's recommendations of resources from experts like Bob Sutton, Adam Grant and Linda Gratton Connect with Cecelia on LinkedInConnect with Vinay on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.comSubscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more. This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together'. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook
Being the boss isn't about power trips—it's about leaving your jerk card at the door. Turns out, surviving the workplace often comes down to one simple rule: don't be an asshole. Kim Scott and Amy Sandler sit down with Stanford's Bob Sutton, author of The No Asshole Rule and The Friction Project, to talk about how real leadership means treating people like people, not just cogs in a machine. Bob gets straight to the point about why toxic behavior kills productivity, how organizational “friction” can be both helpful and harmful, and what it takes to build teams that fight fair and thrive together. They also tackle why efficient isn't always effective, how to spot—and stop—assholes before they do lasting damage, and why the best bosses aren't afraid to show up with both candor and care. As Kim puts it, sometimes it's better to have a hole than an asshole. Whether you're leading a team or just trying to survive one, this conversation is your reminder that treating people with decency is never optional—and if you're stuck choosing between keeping an asshole or leaving a hole, always go with the hole. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript Radical Friction: The Editor/Author Relationship Books | Bob Sutton Work Matters | Bob Sutton How To Get A Radically Candid Boss | Radical Candor Podcast 3 | 12 Don't Let A Bad Boss Derail You | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 18 Are Assholes More Effective? Bob Sutton Weighs In Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Chapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionKim and Amy introduce Stanford Professor Emeritus Bob Sutton.(00:01:35) The No Asshole Rule Origin StoryHow Bob's research into organizational decline led to a focus on workplace jerks.(00:07:02) Layoffs Done Right (And Wrong)Kim and Bob trade stories on compassionate vs. catastrophic layoffs.(00:11:16) Good Friction vs. Bad FrictionThe Friction Project and why not all efficiency is actually efficient(00:16:23) Building Emotional TrustHow emotional trust grows and fuels creative partnerships.(00:24:58) The Asshole Survival Guide: 4 Ways to DealStrategies for handling difficult people and navigating toxic environments.(00:29:50) Certified vs. Clueless AssholesRecognizing the moments when you might actually be the asshole.(00:33:47) It Happens at the Listener's EarHow context shapes whether something feels candid or cruel.(00:38:59) Decision-Making, Simplicity & ReversibilityQuestions friction-fixers ask to decide when to slow down or speed up.(00:46:15) Gossip as a Strategic ToolThe ways gossip can help you avoid toxic work environments.(00:52:03) Fixing Friction at StanfordBob shares his current work helping Stanford reduce internal friction.(00:55:54) Where to Find Bob SuttonWhere to find Bob and his books — plus a final note on long emails.(00:56:50) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chief Human Resources Officer at L'Oréal USA, Stephanie Kramer joins Patty and Jessica this week to talk about her unconventional journey into HR, emphasizing the importance of communication, community, and identity. They also explore the impact parenthood can have on your career as Stephanie shares insights from her book, "Carry Strong," about navigating pregnancy mid-career and maintaining a work-life balance. Find out more about Stephanie's book Carry Strong here. Listen to the Bob Sutton episode here.Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here.TruthWorks is hosted by Jessica Neal and Patty McCord. The show is edited, mixed and produced by Megan Hayward. Our Production Manager is Kathleen Speckert. TruthWorks is an editaudio production.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of the Culture First podcast, host Damon Klotz speaks with Bob Sutton, an organizational psychologist, Stanford management professor, and New York Times best-selling author. They discuss the negative impacts of power differences within organizations, the concept of destructive and constructive friction, and the critical role of leadership in mitigating such friction. The episode delves into Bob Sutton's latest work on 'The Friction Project' and explores how effective leaders can navigate cultural challenges. Additionally, they discuss Bob's famous 'No Asshole Rule,' exploring the detrimental effects of toxic behaviors in the workplace and the importance of building supportive and psychologically safe work environments. The conversation is enriched with real-life examples from companies like Google, Microsoft, and Pixar, along with valuable insights and actionable advice for transforming workplace culture.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this week's Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Stanford Professors, Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao, talk about their book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.” Then, is your personal technology doing more than you bargained for? Duke University Professor Nita Farahany talks about “The Battle for Your Brain … Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.”
On this week's Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Stanford Professors, Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao, talk about their book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.” Then, is your personal technology doing more than you bargained for? Duke University Professor Nita Farahany talks about “The Battle for Your Brain … Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.”
Discover how reshaping workplace dynamics can lead to more harmonious environments with insights from our special guest, David Dilger, co-founder of Edge Legal. David shares his journey from law to human resources, all with the mission to create organizations where leaders are role models and work cultures are free from legal fears. Drawing inspiration from thought leaders like Aristotle and Simon Sinek, we unravel the importance of self-awareness in leadership and how the platinum rule can significantly improve leadership effectiveness.We tackle the age-old problem of "toxic rock stars" in the workplace, those high performers who might actually be doing more harm than good. With insights inspired by Bob Sutton, we discuss the hidden costs these individuals impose on team morale and organizational growth. Learn practical strategies for addressing these issues without unnecessary legal fears, and discover the power of balancing performance management with empathy and care to foster a healthy and productive workplace.The episode also highlights the critical importance of regular one-on-one meetings between managers and employees. Drawing on research from Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, we explore how maintaining consistent, supportive communication can avoid counterproductive stress responses. Delve into the concept of psychosocial safety, as explained by Tim Clark, to understand how creating an inclusive and open workplace atmosphere can transform dynamics and lead to a more engaged and satisfied workforce. Join us as we emphasize the need for people-centric organizations and the pivotal role people play in understanding the true essence of business.
The Friction Project by Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao is one of the most important books I have read this year and highly recommend to people in the industry who deal with friction at workplace day in day out. It tells us how to identity good friction and bad friction and how we can try being friction fixers. Here is my review If you are listening on Spotify please share add your thoughts there. If not on Spotify email me your thoughts to penpositive@gmail.com Connect on Social Media PenPositive YouTube Channel @PenPositive Instagram at @penpositive My Professional Blog: https://penpositive.com My Personal Blog: https://vinodnarayan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinodn/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/penpositive/support
The Friction Project by Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao is one of the most important books I have read this year and highly recommend to people in the industry who deal with friction at workplace day in day out. It tells us how to identity good friction and bad friction and how we can try being friction fixers. Here is my review You can watch the Video version of this podcast on the YouTube Channel: Agile Malayali YouTube Channel Other Podcasts Pahayan Media Malayalam Podcast Penpositive Outclass English Podcast Vayanalokam Malayalam Book Podcast
Master Ninja Instructor Bob Sutton joins today's host, Rob Nelson, on this latest installment of the Ninja Selling podcast to share his inspiring journey to becoming a successful real estate agent and top instructor, and discuss the transformative power of trying something new. Together they explore the importance of embracing change, both personally and professionally, and dive into Bob's pivotal decision to leave his stable mining career for real estate. The episode also introduces an exciting new learning experience—Ninja Selling at Sea—offering Ninjas the opportunity to engage in training and build community aboard a cruise ship. Listeners will discover how Bob's approach to trying new things is grounded in strategic planning and expert mentorship. From his venture into real estate to his experience breeding championship dogs, Bob highlights the significance of starting with the end in mind and breaking new endeavors into manageable steps—crawl, walk, run. The hosts emphasize how these principles can be applied to any challenge, creating a path to success whether in business, learning, or personal growth. This episode is packed with insights on innovation, community building, and achieving long-term goals through deliberate action. Embrace the change, start with intention, and the results will follow. Enjoy more great insights in the community of 16000 other Ninjas with all levels of experience who collaborate, ask and answer questions, network, and more in the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook. Leave a voicemail at 208-MY-NINJA if you'd like to offer more direct feedback. Be sure to check out Ninja Selling Events for upcoming installations and other events, and if you'd like personalized help in achieving your goals, visit Ninja Coaching to connect with one of our fantastic coaches. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Bob Sutton's Journey to Real Estate Success 02:29 Transition from Mining to Real Estate 03:34 Importance of Trying Something New 05:41 Ninja Selling Goes to Sea: Ninja Sailing 06:14 Learning New Processes: Breeding Championship Dogs 09:09 Partnering with Experts for Success 10:28 Starting with the End in Mind for Effective Planning 13:16 Implementing the Crawl-Walk-Run Approach 18:00 Building Community and Mastermind Groups on the Cruise 22:56 The Value of Bringing Family and Building Relationships 26:24 Join the Ninja Selling Facebook Group and Learn More Key Takeaways: "Trying something new can lead to unexpected success. Start with small steps and build from there." "In life and business, find a guide. Someone who's been there before can shorten your learning curve." "Start with the end in mind. Work backward to create a clear path to success." "Crawl, walk, run. Begin with the basics, build habits, and soon you'll be running toward your goals." "The beauty of life is that challenges at first often become strengths later on." "Bring your squeaky wheels. Collaborate to solve the troubled parts of your journey." "Commit early. Plan ahead to enjoy your investment in yourself and your family." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email: TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group Ninja Coaching Book Study Ninja Mastery Ninja Selling by Larry Kendall Ninja Sailing
Matt Beane is a writer, professor, and advocate for fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and machines in the workplace. His influential TED Talk from 2018 has garnered over 1.8 million views, challenging conventional perspectives on AI's role in the workforce by highlighting its divergence from traditional human skill acquisition. As a co-founder and financier of Humatics, an IoT startup connected to MIT, Matt frequently shares his insights in esteemed publications such as Wired, MIT's Technology Review, TechCrunch, Forbes, and Robohub. His latest book, The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines, published by HarperCollins, has received accolades from notable figures like Adam Grant, Bob Sutton, Professor Ethan Mollick, and Reid Hoffman. Matt holds both a PhD and a master's degree from MIT's Sloan School of Management, along with a BA in philosophy from Bowdoin College. We are thrilled to welcome Matt to this episode of AI and the Future of Work. In this conversation, we discuss:The winding, non-linear career path that led to Matt's research on technology, skill-building, and the future of work—from dishwasher to high school math teacher to MIT researcher.How the advent of new technologies, like smartphones and email, changed workplace dynamics and the way teams interact.The "Skill Code" and the three Cs of learning—Challenge, Complexity, and Connection—and how these elements are crucial for building reliable skills under pressure.The difference between knowledge and skill, and why skill development requires more than just education—it requires real-world application, collaboration, and engagement.Matt's ethnographic approach to understanding work in diverse settings, from warehouses to operating rooms, and how he builds trust to gain insights into how people perform their jobs.The role of motivation, human relationships, and trust in skill-building, and how these factors drive us to improve and master new tasks.ResourcesSubscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with MattAI fun fact articleOn using AI to prevent students from cheatingBruce Feiler on AI and the Future of Work
Theology is not just for Sunday mornings, Bible Studies, and seminary classrooms. We all do theology every day. Every time we ponder who God is, what He's like, how He interacts with us, and how our lives are part of His purposes, we're being theologians. This podcast series will explore the lives and stories of Houston's "Everyday Theologians" and how their faith informs and affects their day-to-day lives.
In this episode of Remarkable People, join host Guy Kawasaki as he engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Bob Sutton, a renowned organizational psychologist, best-selling author, and professor emeritus at Stanford University. Together, they explore the intricacies of organizational behavior, leadership, and workplace dynamics. Sutton shares insights from his latest book, "The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder," challenging conventional wisdom about efficiency and productivity. Discover how to identify and eliminate bad friction while cultivating good friction in your organization. From the science of assholes to the art of savoring, this episode offers practical wisdom for leaders, managers, and anyone looking to create more effective and humane workplaces. Learn how to navigate the complexities of modern organizations and champion a new era of leadership that prioritizes both productivity and people.---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable. With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People. Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable. Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopology Listen to Remarkable People here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827 Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Thank you for your support; it helps the show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today, Adam Grant and Bob Sutton, two legends of organizational psychology, discuss Bob's new book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.”
This is one of the interviews for my "Leadership Biz Cafe" podcast that I couldn't wait to share - my interview with Stanford professor and all-around great guy, Bob Sutton.Bob is an organizational psychologist, Stanford professor, and best-selling author of “The No Asshole Rule”, “Good Boss, Bad Boss”, and “Scaling Up Excellence”.My conversation with Bob revolved around his latest book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”, and this simple question - why are some organizations able to effortlessly adapt and transform to meeting changing market conditions, while others seem to be held back by the very processes that are meant to help get things done?Based on 7 years of research, Bob discovered that it all comes down to learning how to be a "friction fixer" who understands the difference between "good friction" and "bad friction".While I was (obviously) expecting Bob to be an incredibly insightful and well-informed guest on organizational culture – I hadn't expected to laugh as much as Bob and I did before, during, and after we went on the air.Listening to this episode, it's hard not to feel an undercurrent of warmth over the course of the episode, which gives this episode a lovely feel-good mood paired alongside fantastic insights and hilarious stories about how leaders can become “friction fixers” to improve the way their organization works.And at the end, Bob shares with me one of the best and kindest compliments I've ever received about my work. If only there was a way to hang an audio clip up on the refrigerator door....In other words, come for the laughs, stay for thought-provoking ideas you'll learn in this engaging conversation. Noteworthy links: Buy Bob's book “The Friction Project” on Amazon*Learn more about Bob's work: https://www.bobsutton.net/Read Tanveer's article mentioned during the episode: "Encouraging Your Employees To Reach For The Moon" https://tanveernaseer.com/encouraging-your-employees-to-reach-for-the-moon/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we're joined by both authors of The Friction Project. Bob Sutton is a Stanford Professor, organizational researcher, and best-selling author. His seven management books include bestsellers The No A**hole Rule, Good Boss, Bad Boss, and (with Huggy Rao) Scaling Up Excellence. Huggy Rao is also a Stanford Professor of organizational behavior, a best-selling author and a highly accomplished researcher with more accolades than will tightly fit in this intro. Together they consult with some of the biggest brands and leaders in the world to eliminate friction, the mundane, the unnecessary and above all the meeting that could have been a Slack message.
Professors Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao visit Google to discuss their book “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.” This book is a useful guide to eliminating the forces that make it harder, more complicated, or downright impossible to get things done in organizations. Every organization is plagued by destructive friction. Yet some forms of friction are incredibly useful, and leaders who attempt to improve workplace efficiency often make things even worse. Drawing from seven years of hands-on research, Sutton and Rao teach readers how to become “friction fixers.” Sutton and Rao unpack how skilled friction fixers think and act like trustees of each others' time. They provide friction forensics to help readers identify where to avert and repair bad organizational friction and where to maintain and inject good friction. The heart of the book digs into the causes and solutions for five of the most common and damaging friction troubles: oblivious leaders, addition sickness, broken connections, jargon monoxide, and fast & frenzied people and teams. Sound familiar? Sutton and Rao are here to help. They wrap things up with lessons for leading your own friction project, including linking little things to big things; the power of civility, caring, and love for propelling designs and repairs; and embracing the mess that is an inevitable part of the process. Visit http://youtube.com/TalksAtGoogle/ to watch the video.
Is it better to prioritize making tasks quick and easy, or should you consider making them slower and more difficult? Bob Sutton suggests smart leaders can make the right things easier and the wrong things harder. Sutton joins Kevin to discuss the challenges faced by organizations as they grow, emphasizing the importance of recognizing both good and bad friction within teams and processes. He highlights the need to balance speed and thoroughness in decision-making, using examples like Google's hiring process evolution and the impact of inefficient workflows on employee morale and productivity. He also touches on leadership approaches like "management walking out of the room" to foster collaboration and decision-making and common traps organizations fall into, such as "addition sickness," where the default solution to problems is adding complexity instead of subtracting unnecessary elements. Meet Robert Robert's Story: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobsutton1/ This Episode is brought to you by... The Long-Distance Team. Remote leadership experts, Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, help leaders navigate the new world of remote and hybrid teams to design the culture they desire for their teams and organizations in their new book! Book Recommendations The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao Hack Your Bureaucracy: Get Things Done No Matter What Your Role on Any Team Paperback by Marina Nitze and Nick Sinai Like this? The System is the Secret with Jim Butler How to Stop Complacency and Improve Performance with Len Herstein Hack Your Bureaucracy with Nick Sinai Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP
This week hosts Patty McCord and Jessica Neal are joined by professor and friend of the podcast, Robert Sutton. Bob teaches Organizational Psychology in the Stanford engineering school and is the author of 8 bestselling books. In this episode he discusses his most recent book “The Friction Project” and how to mitigate bad friction in an enterprise while introducing good friction. Listen in to discover effective leadership strategies for reducing friction in the workplace. Links:https://www.bobsutton.net/Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here.TruthWorks is hosted by Jessica Neal and Patty McCord. The show is edited, mixed and produced by Megan Hayward and Mik Finnegan. Our Production Manager is Kathleen Speckert. TruthWorks is an editaudio production.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Every organization is plagued by destructive friction—the forces that make it harder, more complicated, or downright impossible to get anything done. Yet some forms of friction are incredibly useful, and leaders who attempt to improve workplace efficiency often make things even worse. Drawing from seven years of hands-on research, The Friction Project by bestselling authors Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao teaches readers how to become “friction fixers,” so that teams and organizations don't squander the zeal, damage the health, and throttle the creativity and productivity of good people—or burn through cash and other precious resources. Sutton and Rao kick off the book by unpacking how skilled friction fixers think and act like trustees of others' time. They provide friction forensics to help readers identify where to avert and repair bad organizational friction and where to maintain and inject good friction. Then their help pyramid shows how friction fixers do their work, which ranges from reframing friction troubles they can't fix right now so they feel less threatening to designing and repairing organizations. The heart of book digs into the causes and solutions for five of the most common and damaging friction troubles: oblivious leaders, addition sickness, broken connections, jargon monoxide, and fast and frenzied people and teams. Sound familiar? Sutton and Rao are here to help. They wrap things up with lessons for leading your own friction project, including linking little things to big things; the power of civility, caring, and love for propelling designs and repairs; and embracing the mess that is an inevitable part of the process (while still trying to clean it up).***The Burleson Box is brought to you by Retainer Club:Realize new revenue in your practice this year with Retainer Club! Upgrading your retainer program has never been more straightforward. Patients want online and easy. You want simple and profitable. Retainer Club gives you both. Built by dental professionals, Retainer Club's technology platform is built to manage everything about your retainer program including billing, retainer fulfillment, KPI data and more.Retainer Club's customized Smile Care Plan allows you to offer a flexible membership program that brings 5 new revenue streams to grow your practice. Retainer Club's platform gives patients access to easy, fast, affordable online retainer ordering 24/7, and regular retainer replacement without ever having to call your office.On average, a Smile Care Plan can increase your practice revenue by $100,000 annually. We have built our program with first-hand industry insights to support the needs of practices and DSOs from the ground up. From on-boarding and client success planning to tech-enabled marketing solutions to support new patient growth, Retainer Club has you covered. Get started today at RetainerClub.com***Resources Mentioned in the Episode with Bob Sutton:Subtract by Leidy KlotzBobSutton.netThe Friction ProjectEd Catmull at PixarAndy Grove at IntelIdeo'Armeetingeddon' at DropBoxJAMA 2019 study on doctor time allocation***Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, exclusive study guides, special edition books each quarter, powerpoint and keynote presentations and two tickets to Dustin Burleson's Annual Leadership Retreat.http://www.theburlesonbox.com/sign-up Stay Up to Date: Sign up for The Burleson Report, our weekly newsletter that is delivered each Sunday with timeless insight for life and private practice. Sign up here:http://www.theburlesonreport.com Follow Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA at:http://www.burlesonseminars.com
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. This week I have the honor and privilege of welcoming Bob Sutton to the show. We've been social media buddies for many, many years and I thought it was about time that Bob would join me on the podcast. Bob is an organizational psychologist and professor of Management Science and Engineering at the Stanford Engineering School. He has written eight books, including his latest, The Friction Project, which is what we're going to talk about today. He also wrote other bestselling books, including The No Asshole Rule; Good Boss, Bad Boss, and Scaling Up Excellence. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… any leader or individual contributor who wants to become a friction fixer in their sphere of influence. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE… there's friction in every organization. Some friction is good and fosters creativity and innovation but bad friction can seriously impede progress. Often, areas of friction are unresolved for long periods of time and if they get attention, it's often by addition, which just piles on layers of complexity. Bob strips things back and describes how anybody at any level can make a difference in reducing inefficiencies. WHAT I LOVE MOST… Bob's example of how the DMV has reduced friction through a single person, a greeter, who helps cut down the dreaded time that people spend waiting. As Bob says, “If the DMV can do it, so you can you!”. Running Time: 27:27 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Find Bob Online: Website Bob's Book: The Friction Project
Do you feel like you're hitting a wall at work? This week, Anne and Frances are joined by Master Fixers Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao. Bob and Huggy are professors at Stanford University and authors of “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”. Together, the four discuss how anyone can eliminate the obstacles to doing their best work—and create constraints that make work even better. Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixablescripts.
Why resistance isn't always a bad thing.Friction — that's Professor Huggy Rao's metaphor for the forces that hamper workplace efficiency. But as he says, some friction can be helpful — if you know how to use it.In his book, The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, Rao and coauthor Robert I. Sutton explore how operational obstacles show up in the workplace and, more importantly, what we can do about them. Through what Rao calls “friction fixing,” leaders can “take out the bad friction to make the right things easy to do [and] put in good friction to make the wrong things harder [to do].”As Rao discusses with host Matt Abrahams on this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, leaders can eliminate bad friction through good communication. “Communication matters a lot,” he says. “The simple rule is, make sure a 10-year-old can understand it on the first try.”Episode Reference Links:Huggy Rao: Website Huggy's Books: The Friction Project, Scaling Up Excellence, & Market Rebels Huggy's Successful Communication Recipe - “Ah! Aha! Haha!” by Ramji Raghavan Ep.14: Be Better at Work: How to Communicate Better with Coworkers and Employees: Website / YouTubeConnect:Email Questions & Feedback >>> thinkfast@stanford.eduEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn Page, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInStanford GSB >>> LinkedIn & TwitterChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionHost Matt Abrahams introduces guest, Huggy Rao, and his latest book on the importance of focusing on friction to become our best selves.(00:01:24) Scaling Mindsets and CommunicationInsights on scaling excellence and the critical role of simple communication in fostering the right mindset.(00:04:28) AstraZeneca: Scaling SimplificationA case study on simplification efforts at AstraZeneca & the gift of time that they gave their employees.(00:08:49) Understanding Friction: Terrible and WonderfulThe dual nature of friction, highlighting its role as both a hindrance and a catalyst for decision-making. (00:11:05) Jargon MonoxideComplicated jargon's impact on organizations, and the need for simplicity in communication.(00:13:03) The Art of StorytellingThe benefits & goals of storytelling, creating moral elevation & emotional connection.(00:15:12) Job Titles and AccountabilityAn experiment on the impact of personalized job titles on team performance and accountability in tech startups and the introduction of “good friction”.(00:17:57) The Final Three QuestionsHuggy shares his strategy for reducing friction in his life, a story about the communicator he most admires, Saul Alinsky, and his three ingredients for a successful communication recipe, Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
No matter the organization, friction is inevitable...but the key is knowing how to navigate and harness it for better leadership. In today's discussion I sit down with Bob Sutton, Stanford professor, organizational psychologist and best selling author of books including “The No A$$hole Rule” and “The Friction Project” as he dives into the world of ‘friction-fixer' leadership. Drawing from his extensive research, Sutton shares how to distinguish between beneficial and detrimental friction, explore the tools of ‘friction forensics,' and implement strategies that can streamline processes, enhance performance, and reduce burnout. Join us for a captivating discussion that equips leaders with actionable tactics to conquer challenges and embrace positive change. ________________ Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: https://greatleadership.substack.com/
Can you remember a time when it felt like things at work were unjustifiably and annoyingly hard? Maybe you had to read a 1000-word email that could have been just one paragraph, or had to attend a two-hour meeting that could have been an email. Or maybe you had to manually input data although the process should have been automated ages ago. The reality is that every workplace is clogged with this type of destructive friction—the time-consuming, and soul-crushing practices that drive us crazy and undermine our ability to achieve meaningful goals. I imagine that at the global scale, millions of hours must get lost every day to red tape, workarounds that shouldn't have to exist in the first place, and to misguided leaders who pile on needless complexity. My guest today, Professor Bob Sutton has been so fascinated by the friction we experience in organisations that he researched it for a decade. His work resulted in a book co-authored with Huggy Rao, The Friction Project. Bob Sutton is an organizational psychologist and Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University. He studies leadership, innovation, organizational change, and workplace dynamics. His main focus over the past decade is on scaling and leading at scale—how to grow organizations, spread good things (and remove bad things) in teams and organizations. In this conversation, Bob Sutton and I talk about how to identify good and bad friction in an organization and how to make the right things easier and the wrong things harder. You can follow Bob Sutton on LinkedIn. You can find the transcript HERE. Join the CultureBrained® Community– a one-of-a-kind virtual community for Heads of Culture, founders, and leaders who want to up their culture game. Check out more of our free resources
Why is friction both good and bad for your organization How can leaders identify and reduce bad friction?My guest on this episode is Bob Sutton who is an organizational psychologist, professor emeritus at Stanford, New York Times bestselling author, and speaker.During our conversation Bob and I discuss:Why you should think like a “friction fixer” regardless of your positionWhen and how to apply “good friction” to slow things down for better decision makingHow to identify good and bad friction in your organizationWhy empathetic leaders seek out the “friction” in their organizations and then work to reduce itHow to play the “subtraction game” and how it can help your organizationConnecting with Bob SuttonConnect with Bob Sutton on LinkedInLearn more about Bob and his latest book, “The Friction Project”
Bob Sutton, Professor at Stanford University, is a New York Times bestselling author of 9 books including his most recent, with co-author Huggy Rao, titled The Friction Project. Bob co-founded Stanford's Center for Work, Technology, and Organization, the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, and the “d school.” Bob has served as an advisor to McKinsey, Bain, and Microsoft, as a Fellow at IDEO, and as faculty at the World Economic Forum, and he is currently a Senior Scientist at Gallup. Bob has given keynote speeches to more than 200 groups in more than 20 countries and has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows, including ABC, Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, Fox, NBC Today Show, PBS, NPR, Marketplace, and CNN. In this episode we discuss the following: The best leaders see themselves as trustees of other's time. As Bob told his employer at Stanford, and even a Google executive yesterday, “If the California DMV can be trustees of our time, you can do it for your employees too.” At the CA DMV, Bob showed up at 7:30 am, and 60 people were in front of him. Bob was thrilled when he saw a worker walking each row passing out forms, prepping people for their visit, and re-routing those in the wrong line. This DMV hero was a trustee of other peoples' time (and Bob was out in less than an hour). Our natural tendency is to add things to anything we do, whether it's a recipe, a vacation, or our jobs. But when we switch to the subtraction mindset, we can vastly improve things. Switch to the subtraction mindset: In the state of Michigan there was a form that 2.5 million residents filled out that had 1,000 questions. But thanks to Project Reform, the form is now 80% shorter and takes half the time. Lead with love. Starting with love, and then building the logistics behind it, can lead to vastly improved experiences compared to starting with logistics. For example, when Netflix made it easy to cancel, they got much better data from their customers. Follow Bob: Twitter: https://twitter.com/work_matters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobsutton1/ Website: https://www.bobsutton.net/ Follow Me: Twitter: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/
Bob Sutton is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author. In this zesty conversation with Adam, Bob shares insights on how to overcome friction at work. The two also discuss steps for leaders to become better listeners, the surprising advantages of inconvenience, and why it's better to be a boring leader than an a-hole boss. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts
Organizations too often subject their employees and customers to unnecessary friction that creates inefficiency and causes frustration. But, in some situations, friction can be a positive force, spurring more innovation and better decision-making. So how do you reduce the bad kind and embrace the good? Stanford professors Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao have studied this problem for seven years and offer strategies for leaders at every level to help them recognize when friction is needed or not and then add or subtract accordingly. They share ample examples of people and companies getting it right. Sutton and Rao are the authors of The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, as well as the HBR article, "Rid Your Organization of Obstacles that Infuriate Everyone."
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Kelly welcomes the great Bob Sutton back to the podcast. Professor Emeritus at Stanford, Bob has a new book out called “The Friction Project” which he co-wrote with Huggy Rao. “Piles of studies show, to do creative work right, teams need to slow down, struggle, and develop a lot of bad ideas to find a […]
In The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao share insights on friction—the forces that make it harder, slower, more complicated, or even impossible to get things done in organizations.Sutton is an expert on organizational psychology at Stanford University and a best-selling author. His latest book is a culmination of a seven-year research effort on how effective organizations function without driving employees and customers crazy.Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Sutton explores what friction is, where it comes from, and its effects - both positive and negative. They discuss the practical steps leaders and employees can take to remove and add friction in the right places. They also discuss broader implications, like whether the nature and consequences of friction will change in a world increasingly characterized by machine-machine and machine-human, rather than only human-human interactions.Key topics discussed:00:54 | What is organizational friction04:30 | The negative consequences of friction08:42 | What does good friction look like?14:14 | How to remove friction17:22 | What creates friction19:11 | Removing friction and creating problems22:04 | Is friction less problematic in a world of AI?25:26 | How can ideas about friction be applied in academia?This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Bob Sutton is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author. In this zesty conversation with Adam, Bob shares insights on how to overcome friction at work. The two also discuss steps for leaders to become better listeners, the surprising advantages of inconvenience, and why it's better to be a boring leader than an a-hole boss. Bob's latest book, The Friction Project, is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts
Hayagreeva "Huggy" Rao, professor at Stanford University, is the author of several bestselling books, including his most recent, with co-author Bob Sutton, The Friction Project. His books have been covered in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Inc. Magazine, Amazon, Forbes, and Washington Post among others. Huggy has also consulted with organizations such as British Petroleum, CEMEX, General Electric, IBM, Mass Mutual, American Cancer Society, the FBI and CIA. In this episode we discuss the following: Whether leaders are wasting others' time or underestimating coordination problems, they are creating bad friction that leads people to say things like, “After pouring myself into my BS work each day, I only have scraps of myself for my family.” Not all friction is bad. Creating friction for the Oakland Police Department led to less African Americans and Latinos being unjustly stopped. A leader has two primary jobs: remove obstacles that infuriate. And insert obstacles that educate. Follow Huggy X: https://twitter.com/huggyrao LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayagreevarao/ Website: https://huggyrao.com/ The Friction Project Book: https://amzn.to/48BVX3I Follow Me: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Website: https://natemeikle.com
Every organization is plagued by what Stanford University Business School professor, Bob Sutton, calls “destructive friction:” forces that make it harder, more complicated, or downright impossible to get things done. In Sutton's language, “the convoluted, time-consuming & soul-crushing gyrations that drive people crazy and undermine organizational performance.” Along with his co-author, SBS professor, Huggy […] The post Bob Sutton: Greasing The Skids For Organizational Success appeared first on Mark C. Crowley.
On this week's Tech Nation, Moira speaks withStanford Professors, Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao, talk about their book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.” Then, is your personal technology doing more than you bargained for? Duke University Professor Nita Farahany talks about “The Battle for Your Brain … Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.”
On this week's Tech Nation, Moira speaks with Stanford Professors, Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao, talk about their book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.” Then, is your personal technology doing more than you bargained for? Duke University Professor Nita Farahany talks about “The Battle for Your Brain … Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.”
In today's episode, we tackle friction with Bob Sutton. Bob is an organizational psychologist and professor at Stanford, a New York Times bestselling author, and is here with us to discuss his upcoming book, The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder. Bob Sutton sheds light on the double-edged sword of 'friction' in both professional and personal interactions, so why is friction a double-edged sword that you need to master to be successful, what strategies can you use to identify (and minimize) friction in your daily interactions, and how can you use positive friction as a tool to maximize your problem-solving capacity, boost productivity, and profitability? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 How do you identify the friction you bring to relationships that makes people not want to work with you or hang out with you? What can you learn from the California DMV about the importance of reducing friction to maximize productivity and boost customer satisfaction? 3 Ways to Make Friction a Force for Good at Work – 19:57 If friction slows things down, how do individuals and businesses use friction to amplify results? What strategies can individuals use to become friction fixers and accelerate their careers? How can understanding a company's culture of handling friction help you in job interviews? Power Poisoning and its impact on Organizational Friction – 34:00 How can leaders avoid falling into the trap of power poisoning so they don't hurt their own bottom line by introducing unnecessary friction into the organization? The Impact of AI and Technology on Organizational Friction – 44:12 What are the best practices for integrating AI into the workplace without increasing friction? How can listeners apply the insights from The Friction Project to their professional and personal lives? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“We don't want our time to be spread thin like peanut butter on a slice of toast. You will have greater impact when you concentrate your efforts on work that is closely tied to winning—however you define it.” Are you working in a frustration factory? If so, it's important to recognize that not all friction is created equal. Some is good, to slow down decision-making in crucial moments, and some is bad, getting in the way of progress. You'll need to tap into your inner “grease” and “gunk” sides to address both. In the introduction to their book, The Friction Project, coauthors Huggy Rao and Bob Sutton share a quote from Ed Catmull, former president of Pixar. He believes that if Pixar followed overreaching executives' advice to wring maximum efficiency and scale out of the organization, it would “kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.” "The goal isn't efficiency, it is to make something good or even great,” Catmull says. “We iterate seven to nine times, with friction in the process.” More About Huggy: Huggy Rao is the Atholl McBean professor of Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Science, the Sociological Research Association, and the Academy of Management. He has written for Harvard Business Review, Business Week, and the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Market Rebels and coauthor of the bestselling book Scaling Up Excellence. Today we're talking about his new book, also coauthored with Bob Sutton, The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.
Former Chiefs DE Mike DeVito joins the podcast to discuss joining the Chiefs in 2013, Bob Sutton, the Colts playoff loss, the 2015 turnaround, his time with the Jets and the University of Maine. Use promo code FARZIN for $20 off SeatGeek for first time customers! Use promo code FARZIN20 for 20% off AND free shipping from ManScaped! Visit Cable Dahmer Cadillac in Kansas City! Follow Farzin on: Facebook Instagram X/Twitter TikTok Follow The Chiefs Zone on: YouTube Facebook Instagram TikTok
Order our new book, The Score That Matters, now! https://amzn.to/41zFYku Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Commonalities of leaders who sustain excellence: Curiosity (ask lots of questions) Willingness to try something new Compassion - Assume you don't know others' struggles Bob worked with Ed Catmull (Pixar) He was one of the best at combining curiosity, willingness to try new things, and having compassion for people Good Boss vs. Bad Boss Good bosses ask lots of questions and then make the call (John Hennessey, Stanford President) The Jumbo Grocery Stores in Holland created “slow lanes” for those who wanted to talk… They didn't want efficiency or speed, they wanted a conversation. It's a good reminder that sometimes we should slow down and enjoy our surroundings and the people we're with… Curiosity and Compassion are skills we can build. Take the experiment where they counted the number of questions versus statements and your talking time. Surround yourself with people who will give you direct feedback about your level of curiosity and compassion… When conversing with someone else, how often are you asking questions versus talking about yourself? Think about that… It's not always right to be efficient… Bob shared the Jerry Seinfeld story… The network was considering bringing in McKinsey to help Jerry become more efficient when making his show. He asked, “Are they funny?” They said, no that's not what they do. And he said, “Then I don't need them.” It's not always supposed to be efficient. Sometimes, the hard way is the right way… To get the best result, it usually is. Some things Bob believes (we should all post an essay about what we believe): Indifference is as important as passion. The best leaders know what it feels like to work for them. They overcome the urge to focus attention on powerful superiors rather than their followers The best leaders think and act as trustees of their employees' and customers' time. They are "friction fixers" who hold themselves and others responsible for making the right things easier and the wrong things harder. That might mean, for example, reducing friction by eliminating and revamping meetings. "Am I a success or a failure?" is not useful. It is better to ask “What am I learning.” Noam Bardin (from Waze) Laszlo Bock - For hiring, "If you need to interview someone more than 4 times, then you must get written approval." This helped speed up the process. One of the roles of the leader is to be the editor-in-chief. Great leaders are great communicators. You must become a good writer and speaker if you want to lead. Life/Career advice: Seek variation each day A chief of staff job could lead to big things (if you work for the right person) Be kind
Welcome to Grit & Growth's masterclass on friction — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Robert Sutton, Stanford professor in the School of Engineering and best-selling author, has stories and strategies to help you identify the causes of friction, eliminate it, and even learn how to use friction intentionally to create more space for success. Friction, according to Bob Sutton, “ is simply putting obstacles in front of people that slow them down, that make their jobs more difficult and maybe a little bit more frustrating.” Sutton has written multiple New York Times bestsellers, including The No Asshole Rule, and Scaling Up Excellence with coauthor and Stanford colleague Huggy Rao. His upcoming book with Rao is all about the friction that typically arises after companies scale, and it is appropriately titled The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.Sutton's research shows that friction often starts at the top. Luckily, he has lots of advice for how to become more aware of the power and influence leaders wield and tips for eliminating unwanted friction in your organization.Seven Masterclass TakeawaysAdopt a trustee mindset. According to Sutton, “Leaders should be trustees of other people's time.” This means not just trying to find ways of saving people's time, but also being aware of how you're imposing on their time. Don't be oblivious. “Leaders need to be aware of the power and influence they have,” says Sutton, because an offhand comment can send employees on a wild goose chase that costs time, energy, and money. “That's what happens when people in positions of power…are unaware of their cone of friction.” Leaders also need to acknowledge their blind spots. Many assume that because of their success, they know everything that matters about their organization; what Sutton calls the “fallacy of centrality.” Either way, what you don't know can certainly hurt you.Avoid power poisoning. “When people feel powerful or more powerful than others they tend to focus on their own needs over others and then they act like the rules don't apply to them,” Sutton says. Friction is almost always the result.Embrace inconvenience. Leaders often get the VIP treatment. They don't have to stand in line or wait on hold. But Sutton says that this “absence of inconvenience…is protecting you from the experience that your customers are facing.” If you don't feel the friction yourself, how can you address it?Play the subtraction game.Sutton suggests approaching problems with a subtraction mindset as an antidote to what he calls addition sickness. He says, “First, make a list of stuff that's getting in the way and driving you crazy. Okay, so now what are you going to do to get rid of it?”Fight friction as a team.“Friction is often an orphan problem that we point at other people, and we tell them it's their job to fix it,” Sutton says. Given the high-friction nature of friction fixing, he suggests a team effort.Remember that not all friction is bad.Sutton acknowledges that some things should be hard, like cheating, stealing, and making stupid decisions quickly. He says “Sometimes, being fast — all that does is get you killed off more quickly. The goal of getting rid of mindless, unwanted friction is to clear the way for the things in life that are hard and should be hard.”Listen to Bob Sutton's anecdotes and advice on how to recognize and remove friction in the workplace. The Friction Project will be released on January 30, and you can pre-order copies of the book now. (https://www.amazon.com/Friction-Project-Leaders-Things-Easier/dp/1250284414)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Bob Sutton is an organizational psychologist and professor of Management Science and Engineering at the Stanford Engineering School. He has given keynote speeches to more than 200 groups in 20 countries, and served on numerous scholarly editorial boards focused around his work on leadership, innovation, organizational change, and workplace dynamics. His most recent book, THE FRICTION PROJECT: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, co-written with Huggy Rao is focused on scaling and leading at scale. Based on 10 years of research it outlines how to grow organizations, it suggests something really compelling: you know we all almost by default think we should be strive to build a “frictionless organization” to drive agility and efficiency. Bob points out that friction is not bad on its own. In fact, you WANT to create friction to slow down “bad” things while reducing friction to promote good things. This can enhance performance, innovation, and help make sure you fall into the trap of letting bad things grow as the company scales. _________________________________________________________________________________________In this episode, he shares:How as organizations grow, they become increasingly complex over time and how to mitigate this How to identify where to "put in gas" vs. "pump the brakes" to slow down when it comes to new and ongoing initiatives Why running at full speed is not always the answer (and the surprising byproduct of doing so) What makes collaboration between individual team members and make teams as a whole efficient What is changing in the workforce, and what has changed in terms of what makes a good leader in light of that _________________________________________________________________________________________Episode Timeline:00:00—Highlight from today's episode1:20—Introducing Bob + The topic of today's episode3:50—If you really know me, you know that...5:05—What is your definition of strategy?7:07—Can you talk to us about the premise of your book, The Friction Project, and its background?10:50—Could you talk to us about the moments in which friction can be a good thing, or when to apply "gas vs. brakes16:05—How do you recognize where to apply this idea of velocity vs. slowing down?18:57—How is it that some teams seem to come together and work seamlessly, while others seem to struggle?22:57—What is changing in business in terms of leadership, the way people work, etc.?26:05—Can you talk to us about the importance of reducing frictions, especially in regards to technology?26:50—How can people follow you and connect with you to continue learning from you?__________________________________________________________________________________________Additional Resources: Author Website: bobsutton.netEmail: https://www.bobsutton.net/contact/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobsutton1/Twitter: https://twitter.com/work_matters
Joining us on this episode is Bob Sutton, the New York Times best-selling author of "The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt". He is also Professor of Management Science and Engineering and Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. His website is https://www.bobsutton.net/
Bob Sutton is a Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University. He is co-founder of Stanford's Center for Work, Technology and Organization, the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, and the “the d school”. He's a New York Times bestselling author and has published over 200 academic articles as well as 8 books, which have sold more than a million copies. Bob has served as an advisor to McKinsey, Bain, and Microsoft, as faculty at the World Economic Forum, and as Fellow at IDEO, and he is currently a Senior Scientist at Gallup. He has given keynote speeches to more than 200 groups in more than 20 countries, and has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows, including ABC, Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, Fox, NBC Today Show, PBS, NPR, Marketplace, and CNN. I hope you enjoy learning from Bob Sutton today, because I always do.
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