We all know the feeling: that gut-wrenching post-conversation replay, cringing at how much we just revealed. We live in fear of saying too much, so we keep our mouths shut, guard our emotions, and lock away our most personal thoughts. But what if we’ve been worrying about the wrong thing?
A growing body of research shows we vastly underestimate the value of sharing more than we think we should, with our spouses, friends, colleagues, and even strangers. Drawing on over a decade of research and real-life stories, behavioral scientist Leslie John explores why we hesitate to open up, when sharing really does backfire, and how to strike a balance between too much and too little.
Leslie John is the James Burke Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Her new book is: ‘Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing.’ Welcome!
