Why Does It Feel So Wrong To Be Human At Work?

Ep 03 | Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Follow Influencers?

Episode Summary

We’re constantly influenced – by social media, corporate trends, and even office culture – but how often do we stop to question it? In this episode, Chris and Pinaki explore how workplace habits form, why we blindly follow certain individuals, and the hidden ways influence shapes our decisions. It will make you stop and wonder, are we thinking for ourselves?

Episode Notes

Season 2, Episode 3: Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Influenced?

Episode Description

Influencer fatigue, TikTok tips, corporate jargon, lawn envy, and the boss who suddenly wants to “go agile” after reading one McKinsey article—sound familiar?

In this episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee explore how deeply we're all influenced—by social media, our neighbors, our leaders, and even ourselves. The conversation spans from the science of subconscious mimicry to the ways workplace “best practices” are sometimes just rituals no one remembers the reason for.

Together, they unpack:

Why influence can feel uncomfortable (even when it’s helpful)
How unconscious social pressure and mimicry show up at work
The link between influence, power dynamics, and culture
What Inception, dopamine, and standing in waiting rooms teach us about human behavior
How good leaders influence without micromanaging
How Humanocracy, Dopamine Nation, and How to Win Friends and Influence People offer timeless insight
Plus: A wild peek at how AI is shaping influence and how even your 4-year-old might not know what’s real anymore.

Timestamps

00:00 – Neighborhood lawn politics and the roots of influence
03:00 – Social media moms, tech TikTok, and the influencer paradox
06:30 – Leaders, tone-setting, and the trap of unintentional influence
08:30 – Priming experiments and subconscious behavior
10:00 – The “standing up” waiting room experiment (you’ve seen this!)
12:00 – Generational cycles of influence in the workplace
14:00 – The history of influence: from merchants to algorithms
16:00 – DEI, conformity, and reprogramming the brain
18:00 – When “yes, we can” becomes “we’re burning out”
20:00 – Dopamine and the dark side of workplace hustle culture
22:00 – Reinventing workplace norms: Bayer and Humanocracy
25:00 – Flow state at work and the boxing metaphor
27:00 – The subtle influence of workplace structure and experience

Wisdom That Feels So Right

Mic-Drop Moments

“Influence gives us direction. But too much of it, unchecked, shapes us into something we didn’t choose.”

“Even saying nothing is saying something—especially when you’re a leader.”

“Work should feel like a flow state, not a factory reset.”

Connect with Us

Pinaki Kathiari – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom

Chris Lee – LinkedIn | Gallagher Communication

Gratitude & Support

Shoutout to Local Wisdom for making this podcast possible—and for building the kind of culture that actually feels human. Thanks to SBX Productions for making us sound pro, and to our powerhouse producer Brielle Seracini for keeping the wheels turning.

Join the Movement

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