Why you should listen
Tessa West is a social psychology professor and expert in interpersonal communication. Her work focuses on the art of the "getting acquainted" conversation, studying how people get to know each other in a variety of settings, from first dates to job interviews. Her research explores questions such as why we struggle with reading the thoughts and feelings of our interaction partners and how these social interactions affect our bodies. Her work has shown that stress can "leak out" during high-stakes encounters, not only affecting the stress levels of those around us, but making our true thoughts and feelings difficult to read. By measuring relationships over time, West found that the small miscommunications that arise early and often during the initial stage of a relationship can shape the tone and tenor of the relationship for years to come.Applying the science of communication to the workplace, West's latest work focuses on the psychological experiences that underlie unhappiness at work. Her book Job Therapy teaches people how to learn new strategies for clear, effective communication that they can apply to any stage of the job exploration process, from networking to interviewing, laying the groundwork for honest conversations and finding careers that fit. Her work has been featured on NPR's Hidden Brain, CNN, Good Morning America and CNBC.
