Episode 531: Leslie John: Oversharing as a Competitive Advantage in Leadership and Negotiation

Habits and Hustle

Jen Cohen

Entrepreneurship, Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Business

4.5 • 818 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 87 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We’ve been conditioned to believe that saying less is safer. But playing it safe costs trust, influence, stronger negotiations, and deeper relationships because the line between “too much” and meaningful connection is further out than we think. In the latest episode of Habits & Hustle, I’m joined by author Leslie John to break down the exact tipping point where leader vulnerability backfires, why holding your cards close in negotiation weakens your leverage, and how pushing slightly past your comfort zone builds real authority. Leslie John is the James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing. Her award-winning research appears in top academic journals and media including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. What’s Discussed (04:00) Why oversharing feels risky but builds stronger relationships and influence (06:31) The difference between emotional dumping and strategic vulnerability (18:23) Disclosure flexibility and knowing when to reveal versus hold back (20:55) Why long term relationships erode when partners stop sharing (27:15) How strategic transparency increases trust and customer retention (28:50) The most common negotiation mistake: leading with concealment (34:03) Leader vulnerability and the tipping point where credibility drops (41:01) Authenticity versus impulse and why emotional intelligence matters Thank you to our sponsors: Rho Nutrition: Try Rho Nutrition today and experience the difference of Liposomal Technology. Use code JEN20 for 20% OFF everything at https://rhonutrition.com/discount/jen20. Prolon: Get 30% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program! Just visit https://prolonlife.com/JENNIFERCOHEN and use code JENNIFERCOHEN to claim your discount and your bonus gift. Therasage: Head over to therasage.com and use code Be Bold for 15% off Air Doctor: Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code HUSTLE40 for up to $300 off and a 3-year warranty on air purifiers. Magic Mind: Head over to www.magicmind.com/jen and use code Jen at checkout. Momentous: Shop this link and use code Jen for 20% off Manna Vitality: Visit mannavitality.com and use code JENNIFER20 for 20% off your order Amp fit is the perfect balance of tech and training, designed for people who do it all and still want to feel strong doing it. Check it out at joinamp.com/jen Find more from Jen: Website: https://jennifercohen.com Instagram: @therealjencohen Books: https://jennifercohen.com/books Speaking: https://jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement Find more from Leslie John: Website: https://lesliekjohn.com Instagram: @proflesliejohn Youtube: @ProfLeslieJohn X: @ProfLeslieJohn

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi guys, it's Tony Robbins. You're listening to Habits and Hustle. Crush it. All right, everybody. Welcome to
0:09.0	another episode of Habits and Hustle. And we have a very special guest. Number one, she's Canadian.
0:15.1	All that matters, right? And she lived in Winnipeg for many years. But really, she's exceptionally impressive.
0:22.1	Not only is she like a professional dancer, which of course is her background when she was younger.
0:27.3	This woman is a professor at Harvard.
0:29.7	She is, I guess, she's a behavioral scientist, and she is an expert in decision-making.
0:37.0	And also she's a new book called, and her new book is called
0:41.0	The Underrated Power of Oversharing, actually Revealing is the title, and then the underrated
0:47.0	power of oversharing. So I guess we're going to talk all about the power of oversharing on this
0:51.2	episode and everything in between. So thank you for being on the show.
0:54.3	Thank you for having me. This is exciting. First of all, I love anything when I see the word
0:59.3	behavioral, like, behavioral psychologists, I'm like fascinated by how the human psyche works,
1:05.4	the brain works. And given that your background is, I was saying before we started, you're a dancer plus the Harvard.
1:13.8	I mean, your attention to detail and discipline must be off the charts.
1:18.3	I drive myself crazy sometimes.
1:21.1	Well, listen, then I love it.
1:23.8	So I'm here for it.
1:24.7	So before we start, we do this thing on here.
1:27.0	We basically take a shot. It's a mental performance shot to keep you super kind of, I guess, very, basically very focused. And you don't need it, though. I would highly doubt someone with your background. But let's do it anyway. Yeah, I'm excited.
1:42.0	So we basically, cheers. Cheers. Yours actually has no caffeine.
1:45.3	Mine has caffeine.
1:46.0	Okay.
	...

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