Why Winners Often Lose & What Great Teams Do Differently episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 23, 2025 · 45 MIN

Why Winners Often Lose & What Great Teams Do Differently

from Something You Should Know · host Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media

When you ask someone to recall something from deep in their memory, watch their face — they’ll probably do something that actually helps them remember. You might do it too without realizing it. Listen as I reveal what it is and why it works. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ulterior-motives/201110/why-do-you-close-your-eyes-remember Have you heard of the winner’s curse or the sunk cost theory? These are strange but predictable ways our brains can trick us when we take risks — especially with money. My guest, Alex O. Imas, Professor of Behavioral Science, Economics, and Applied AI at the University of Chicago, has studied these “behavioral anomalies” with Nobel Prize winner Richard Thaler. Together they co-authored The Winner’s Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then and Now. (https://amzn.to/48gycBj) . Listen to how these things work, because understanding these anomalies can help keep you from falling victim to them. We’ve all had to work in groups, whether it’s a team we are assigned to at work, or a neighborhood committee or parents’ group. Sometimes they run beautifully. Often… they don’t. Why do so many groups struggle, and how can we make them more effective? Colin T. Fisher, Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London, joins me to share insights that can help any team excel. Colin is author of the book The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups.(https://amzn.to/48WcuCT). Whether you cook or not, at some point you find yourself in the kitchen putting food away and you run into the problem of – sometimes the plastic wrap clings to the container and sometimes it does not. Listen to hear the secret of how to get it to stick every time. https://lifehacker.com/run-a-wet-finger-across-surfaces-to-make-plastic-wrap-s-1728185077 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! DELL: Your new Dell PC with Intel Core Ultra helps you handle a lot when your holiday to-dos get to be…a lot. Upgrade today by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://Dell.com/Deals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QUINCE: Layer up this fall with pieces that feel as good as they look! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! ON POINT: We love the On Point podcast! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! ⁠https://www.wbur.org/radio/programs/onpoint⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you ask someone to recall something from deep in their memory, watch their face — they’ll probably do something that actually helps them remember. You might do it too without realizing it. Listen as I reveal what it is and why it works. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ulterior-motives/201110/why-do-you-close-your-eyes-remember Have you heard of the winner’s curse or the sunk cost theory? These are strange but predictable ways our brains can trick us when we take risks — especially with money. My guest, Alex O. Imas, Professor of Behavioral Science, Economics, and Applied AI at the University of Chicago, has studied these “behavioral anomalies” with Nobel Prize winner Richard Thaler. Together they co-authored The Winner’s Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then and Now. (https://amzn.to/48gycBj) . Listen to how these things work, because understanding these anomalies can help keep you from falling victim to them. We’ve all had to work in groups, whether it’s a team we are assigned to at work, or a neighborhood committee or parents’ group. Sometimes they run beautifully. Often… they don’t. Why do so many groups struggle, and how can we make them more effective? Colin T. Fisher, Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London, joins me to share insights that can help any team excel. Colin is author of the book The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups.(https://amzn.to/48WcuCT). Whether you cook or not, at some point you find yourself in the kitchen putting food away and you run into the problem of – sometimes the plastic wrap clings to the container and sometimes it does not. Listen to hear the secret of how to get it to stick every time. https://lifehacker.com/run-a-wet-finger-across-surfaces-to-make-plastic-wrap-s-1728185077 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! DELL: Your new Dell PC with Intel Core Ultra helps you handle a lot when your holiday to-dos get to be…a lot. Upgrade today by visiting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://Dell.com/Deals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ QUINCE: Layer up this fall with pieces that feel as good as they look! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! ON POINT: We love the On Point podcast! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! ⁠https://www.wbur.org/radio/programs/onpoint⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Why Winners Often Lose & What Great Teams Do Differently

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This episode is 45 minutes long.

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This episode was published on October 23, 2025.

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When you ask someone to recall something from deep in their memory, watch their face — they’ll probably do something that actually helps them remember. You might do it too without realizing it. Listen as I reveal what it is and why it works....

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