Adam Galinsky

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.

But because of his position of authority, but also because of the respect, so much eyes were on him paying close attention to what he said, right? What he said got magnified, amplified, intensified, right? So that that's not right at all became like humiliating criticism, right? Crushing criticism. But that you're a great writer became glorious praise. And so I realized in that moment how

But because of his position of authority, but also because of the respect, so much eyes were on him paying close attention to what he said, right? What he said got magnified, amplified, intensified, right? So that that's not right at all became like humiliating criticism, right? Crushing criticism. But that you're a great writer became glorious praise. And so I realized in that moment how

But because of his position of authority, but also because of the respect, so much eyes were on him paying close attention to what he said, right? What he said got magnified, amplified, intensified, right? So that that's not right at all became like humiliating criticism, right? Crushing criticism. But that you're a great writer became glorious praise. And so I realized in that moment how

These offhand comments can have a huge impact, right? You mentioned the percent lows who's well-respected. One comment could like green light or red light a project, right? One of my favorite examples of this is a man named Barry Salzberg, who was CEO of Global Deloitte. And after he, you know, there's tens of thousands of employees.

These offhand comments can have a huge impact, right? You mentioned the percent lows who's well-respected. One comment could like green light or red light a project, right? One of my favorite examples of this is a man named Barry Salzberg, who was CEO of Global Deloitte. And after he, you know, there's tens of thousands of employees.

These offhand comments can have a huge impact, right? You mentioned the percent lows who's well-respected. One comment could like green light or red light a project, right? One of my favorite examples of this is a man named Barry Salzberg, who was CEO of Global Deloitte. And after he, you know, there's tens of thousands of employees.

And after a few months, he realized there was always bananas at important meetings. And he's like, huh, are bananas a symbol of Deloitte that I didn't discover my 30 years here? Does someone really important love bananas? So he asked his assistant, why do we have bananas at every meeting? And she said, because you love bananas. He's like, wait, what?

And after a few months, he realized there was always bananas at important meetings. And he's like, huh, are bananas a symbol of Deloitte that I didn't discover my 30 years here? Does someone really important love bananas? So he asked his assistant, why do we have bananas at every meeting? And she said, because you love bananas. He's like, wait, what?

And after a few months, he realized there was always bananas at important meetings. And he's like, huh, are bananas a symbol of Deloitte that I didn't discover my 30 years here? Does someone really important love bananas? So he asked his assistant, why do we have bananas at every meeting? And she said, because you love bananas. He's like, wait, what?

So apparently the first meeting he ever attended, the assistant was like paying close attention to whatever he did. And she saw him pick up a banana with a little bit of enthusiasm and eat it. And so she coded that as Barry Salzberg loves bananas. We have to have bananas at every meeting. And that's such a great example how he didn't even say anything. It was so incidental.

So apparently the first meeting he ever attended, the assistant was like paying close attention to whatever he did. And she saw him pick up a banana with a little bit of enthusiasm and eat it. And so she coded that as Barry Salzberg loves bananas. We have to have bananas at every meeting. And that's such a great example how he didn't even say anything. It was so incidental.

So apparently the first meeting he ever attended, the assistant was like paying close attention to whatever he did. And she saw him pick up a banana with a little bit of enthusiasm and eat it. And so she coded that as Barry Salzberg loves bananas. We have to have bananas at every meeting. And that's such a great example how he didn't even say anything. It was so incidental.

It was so offhand, but it had this massive impact.

It was so offhand, but it had this massive impact.

It was so offhand, but it had this massive impact.

Yeah. And I think it also ties into so much of what we've talked about because I said there's these three universal factors, right? Being visionary, being exemplary, and being a mentor. You've just highlighted how being visionary and being a mentor go together. What's the vision for campus visits? The vision for campus visits is, I think, twofold.

Yeah. And I think it also ties into so much of what we've talked about because I said there's these three universal factors, right? Being visionary, being exemplary, and being a mentor. You've just highlighted how being visionary and being a mentor go together. What's the vision for campus visits? The vision for campus visits is, I think, twofold.

Yeah. And I think it also ties into so much of what we've talked about because I said there's these three universal factors, right? Being visionary, being exemplary, and being a mentor. You've just highlighted how being visionary and being a mentor go together. What's the vision for campus visits? The vision for campus visits is, I think, twofold.

One is to present your university in an optimal way, right, positive way. But two is to make the people that are visiting feel excited and valued and respected. And so Harvard lost the vision, right? The vision isn't to be realistic, right? The vision is to create a sense of excitement and wonder in these people.