Think You Know Yourself? Think Again.

03/19/25 • 26 min

Brian Lowery, the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the author of Selfless: The Social Creation of You, argues that identity is about much more than external characteristics, family history, or the collection of experiences that compose the chronology of our lives. In fact, Lowery argues, our identities are constantly being formed, shifted, and even co-created — by the people around us.

In this episode, Lowery breaks down how leaders, colleagues, and even casual acquaintances influence the people we are continually becoming — and why recognizing this can change our lives and how we experience the people we know. Understanding this social conception of the self helps us effectively navigate challenges at home and in the workplace, strengthen key relationships, and even bridge political divides.

“All these constraints that you feel, maybe those are imaginary,” Lowery says. “The world opens to you, I think, if you believe this, but that is also what's terrifying about it. What's exciting is what's terrifying.”

Has someone in your life changed how you see yourself? Tell us more at [email protected].

This conversation was recorded on November 13, 2024.

Related Content:

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Improv is a Team Sport
(00:04:20) - Rethinking the Self
(00:05:16) - Leadership and Influence
(00:07:30) - The Leadership Experiment
(00:11:55) - Trust in the Workplace
(00:14:24) - Polarization and Social Identity
(00:18:33) - The Influence of Proximity
(00:20:55) - Changing Identities
(00:24:38) - Conclusion

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Has someone in your life changed how you see yourself? Tell us more at [email protected].

This conversation was recorded on November 13, 2024.

Related Content:

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Improv is a Team Sport
(00:04:20) - Rethinking the Self
(00:05:16) - Leadership and Influence
(00:07:30) - The Leadership Experiment
(00:11:55) - Trust in the Workplace
(00:14:24) - Polarization and Social Identity
(00:18:33) - The Influence of Proximity
(00:20:55) - Changing Identities
(00:24:38) - Conclusion

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Previous Episode

How Taxes Influence Innovation

What’s one of the most powerful forces behind technological breakthroughs, business strategy, and job creation? The tax code.

Rebecca Lester, an associate professor of accounting and one of three inaugural Botha-Chan Faculty Scholars at Stanford Graduate School of Business, studies how subtle tax incentives can trigger monumental business decisions, determining how companies invest, grow, and innovate.

These incentives don’t just shape corporate strategy — they ripple across industries, economies, and markets. From advancing clean energy to catalyzing global competition, you might think of tax policy as a blueprint for the future. The big question: how to do it right.

Have tax incentives led you to make a personal or professional decision? Tell us more at [email protected].

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This conversation was recorded on November 5, 2024.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Next Episode

Adapting To Massive Technological Change

Susan Athey, the Economics of Technology Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and founding director of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab, studies the impact of technological innovations on workers, businesses, and society.

Will the world’s economies successfully adapt to a future defined by artificial intelligence? On this episode, Athey shares what the stories of 22,000 laid-off workers in Sweden can tell us about who recovers from economic turmoil, how small design changes and product features can have outsize societal impact, and how AI could transform the way we work, from hiring to healthcare.

What’s the best way to build a future that effectively integrates AI and supports workers? Tell us more at [email protected].

This episode was recorded on December 16, 2024.

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