The Hidden Forces Behind Every Investment Decision

Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing

The Motley Fool

Investing, Business

4.3 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 June 2026

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Every time you buy a stock, you tell yourself a story about why it's going to work. But what if that story is the most dangerous thing in your portfolio? And what if the same behavioral blind spots that trip up individual investors are also quietly undermining the companies you're betting on? Motley Fool analyst Rachel Warren talks with Harvard-trained behavioral scientist Julia Dhar, author of How Change Really Works, about why 60 to 75 percent of corporate transformations fail, how to spot false alignment in a leadership team, and the simple framework that separates companies worth owning from ones that just sound good on an earnings call. Host: Rachel Warren Guest: Julia Dhar Producers: Bart Shannon, Lauren Budabin Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We want something about the story we are telling ourselves or the Adelists or the market
0:08.7	are telling us about it to be true.
0:11.9	We want it to be true.
0:13.2	And that will guide our view, our outlook on the company over the long term.
0:19.5	Sometimes that story will overwhelm what we see or observe in the data.
0:25.6	So the number one in life, feelings and facts are both very important.
0:34.6	But a feeling is not a fact.
0:47.7	That was Harvard-trained behavioral scientist Julia Dar, author of How Change Really Works. I'm Motleyful analyst Rachel Warren.
0:50.8	Julia joined me to dig into what decades of behavioral research can teach us about picking better stocks.
0:56.3	Why the stories we tell ourselves about companies can be more dangerous than bad data
1:00.5	and how to read a leadership team's body language from the outside.
1:03.9	We hope you enjoy.
1:05.8	I'm motleyful analyst Rachel Warren, and today I'm excited to welcome Julia Dar to the show.
1:11.7	Julia is a Harvard-trained behavioral scientist and managing director at Boston Consulting Group, where she founded
1:16.1	and leads the group's behavioral science lab. She has spent more than a decade applying
1:20.9	experimental behavioral science, drawing from psychology, economics, and neuroscience to large-scale
1:26.8	organizational change. She's advising CEOs and leadership
1:30.1	teams across a wide range of industries and countries. Her TED talks on productive disagreement
1:35.9	and constructive conversations have been viewed more than 8.5 million times on the web. She's a Forbes
1:42.1	columnist who's written for the Financial Times and Harvard Business
1:45.1	Review. She's also co-author of the new book, How Change Really Works, Arguing that the most
1:51.5	important component to change that sticks is behavioral science. Julia, welcome to the show. Thank you for
	...

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