

Agents of Influence: Fear
My first memory of public speaking was in the fifth grade. I was to present an oral book report to the class of about thirty kids. My...


Agents of Influence: Emotional Arousal
I recently read the account of a man accused of a heinously violent crime. He didn’t fit the mold of a violent criminal. He was a...


Agents of Influence: Too Little Information
My daughter recently took up lacrosse. Admittedly, I know nothing about the sport. Thankfully, her coach sent the team parents a one-page...


Agents of Influence: The Dreaded TMI
Years ago I was hired to lead a small business with a ton of potential. I had so many ideas when I accepted the position; it seemed ripe...


Agents of Influence: Time Pressure
The contract with one of our largest customers was expiring soon. The account manager of the business, vice president of our division and...


When Our Brain Is On Autopilot
There are five notable occasions when our brains rely on autopilot thinking and the biases and fallacies that come along with it: When we...