Showing results by author "Vanessa Bohns" in All Categories

If you’ve ever felt ineffective, invisible, or inarticulate, chances are you weren’t actually any of those things. Those feelings may instead have been the result of a lack of awareness we all seem to have for how our words, actions, and even our mere presence affect other people. In You Have More Influence Than You Think, social psychologist Vanessa Bohns draws from her original research to illustrate why we fail to recognize the influence we have, and how that lack of awareness can lead us to miss opportunities or accidentally misuse our power.

Should I ask an upset colleague what's wrong? Should I tell my bestie the truth when she asks about her new haircut? Should I tell my boss about my personal struggles? Should I apologize, even though it wasn't my fault? Should I tell my friend her spouse is cheating on her? Should I tell my...