Adam Galinsky

Anything that we're paying attention to that we're looking at, whatever that stimulus is, it's going to have an amplified reaction on us and we're going to have a more intense reaction to it. And so that's really what the leader amplification effect is. And that can be good or bad, right? Like an offhand compliment versus an offhand criticism can have hugely monumental effects on people.

Anything that we're paying attention to that we're looking at, whatever that stimulus is, it's going to have an amplified reaction on us and we're going to have a more intense reaction to it. And so that's really what the leader amplification effect is. And that can be good or bad, right? Like an offhand compliment versus an offhand criticism can have hugely monumental effects on people.

Anything that we're paying attention to that we're looking at, whatever that stimulus is, it's going to have an amplified reaction on us and we're going to have a more intense reaction to it. And so that's really what the leader amplification effect is. And that can be good or bad, right? Like an offhand compliment versus an offhand criticism can have hugely monumental effects on people.

That's also why Tammy Jo Schultz's phrase, we're not going down, we're going to Philadelphia was so powerful is because she was that leader. Everyone was paying close attention to everything that she said. I started my PhD at Princeton University in 1993.

That's also why Tammy Jo Schultz's phrase, we're not going down, we're going to Philadelphia was so powerful is because she was that leader. Everyone was paying close attention to everything that she said. I started my PhD at Princeton University in 1993.

That's also why Tammy Jo Schultz's phrase, we're not going down, we're going to Philadelphia was so powerful is because she was that leader. Everyone was paying close attention to everything that she said. I started my PhD at Princeton University in 1993.

And the first class I ever took was with Danny Kahneman, who is the only psychologist who would one day go on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. And he just arrived with incredible fanfare from University of California, Berkeley. He was one of the top five paid employees of the entire university. Like, I think he might have even been second or third, like after the president and general counsel.

And the first class I ever took was with Danny Kahneman, who is the only psychologist who would one day go on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. And he just arrived with incredible fanfare from University of California, Berkeley. He was one of the top five paid employees of the entire university. Like, I think he might have even been second or third, like after the president and general counsel.

And the first class I ever took was with Danny Kahneman, who is the only psychologist who would one day go on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. And he just arrived with incredible fanfare from University of California, Berkeley. He was one of the top five paid employees of the entire university. Like, I think he might have even been second or third, like after the president and general counsel.

I think he was third, actually. Anyway, so there's 11 of us, so 10 other people. classmates that are first year doctoral students at Princeton in psychology. And in the first day of class, I raised my hand and I'm eager to prove that I belong, that I'm valued and respected, as we've talked about already. And I still remember the four things Danny did that day.

I think he was third, actually. Anyway, so there's 11 of us, so 10 other people. classmates that are first year doctoral students at Princeton in psychology. And in the first day of class, I raised my hand and I'm eager to prove that I belong, that I'm valued and respected, as we've talked about already. And I still remember the four things Danny did that day.

I think he was third, actually. Anyway, so there's 11 of us, so 10 other people. classmates that are first year doctoral students at Princeton in psychology. And in the first day of class, I raised my hand and I'm eager to prove that I belong, that I'm valued and respected, as we've talked about already. And I still remember the four things Danny did that day.

He crossed his arms, he shrunk up his face, he shook his head and he said, that's not right at all. And then he smiled and he moved on and the rest of the class moved on, but I was frozen in place. Like I felt humiliated, right? His offhand comment, that's not right at all, it reverberated inside of me, right?

He crossed his arms, he shrunk up his face, he shook his head and he said, that's not right at all. And then he smiled and he moved on and the rest of the class moved on, but I was frozen in place. Like I felt humiliated, right? His offhand comment, that's not right at all, it reverberated inside of me, right?

He crossed his arms, he shrunk up his face, he shook his head and he said, that's not right at all. And then he smiled and he moved on and the rest of the class moved on, but I was frozen in place. Like I felt humiliated, right? His offhand comment, that's not right at all, it reverberated inside of me, right?

But then, and it took me weeks before I felt comfortable speaking in any class, let alone Danny's class. About five or six weeks later, I was walking in the hallway and Danny's walking this way and I'm walking this way. And Danny just over his shoulder says, hey, Adam, I love reading your reflection papers. Then he turns the corner. And you're a great writer.

But then, and it took me weeks before I felt comfortable speaking in any class, let alone Danny's class. About five or six weeks later, I was walking in the hallway and Danny's walking this way and I'm walking this way. And Danny just over his shoulder says, hey, Adam, I love reading your reflection papers. Then he turns the corner. And you're a great writer.

But then, and it took me weeks before I felt comfortable speaking in any class, let alone Danny's class. About five or six weeks later, I was walking in the hallway and Danny's walking this way and I'm walking this way. And Danny just over his shoulder says, hey, Adam, I love reading your reflection papers. Then he turns the corner. And you're a great writer.

He said, I love reading your reflection papers. You're a great writer. And that offhand compliment filled me with so much joy, I literally skipped down the hallway. I didn't know what to do with my energy. And so what I like about this example is these are two casual, offhand, inconsequential comments by Danny Kahneman that he doesn't even remember to this day.

He said, I love reading your reflection papers. You're a great writer. And that offhand compliment filled me with so much joy, I literally skipped down the hallway. I didn't know what to do with my energy. And so what I like about this example is these are two casual, offhand, inconsequential comments by Danny Kahneman that he doesn't even remember to this day.