Why talking to your boss, your doctor, or anyone with power puts your brain on high alert — and what a Stanford psychologist says to do about it.

Claude M. Steele is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the author of a new book, Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome It.

In this episode we talk about:

Why talking across difference is so stressful, even when nobody's being bigoted
What's actually happening in your brain during an awkward cross-cultural moment
The surprisingly simple thing that makes critical feedback land or fall flat
How to reduce tension when you're the one with power (and what to do when you're not)
A three-part framework for building trust across any divide

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That Background Hum of Worry in Every Important Conversation — Here's What It Is and How to Quiet It | Claude M. Steele

10% Happier with Dan Harris

That Background Hum of Worry in Every Important Conversation — Here's What It Is and How to Quiet It | Claude M. Steele