Why You’re Afraid to Open Up | Leslie John
23 February - 1 hour 24 minsHarvard Business School professor Leslie John joins AJ and Johnny to unpack why we systematically get vulnerability wrong.
We obsess over the risks of sharing and ignore the cost of staying silent. From dating profiles and first impressions to leadership, feedback, and negotiation, Leslie explains how to decide what to reveal, when to reveal it, and how to frame it so it builds trust instead of regret.
If you’ve ever worried about TMI — or held back and felt distance grow — this episode gives you a smarter way to think about disclosure.
Chapters
00:00 – Why we misjudge vulnerability08:00 – Emotional vocabulary and instant connection18:00 – The cost of silence vs. the risk of sharing28:00...
How to Grow Your Network Effortlessly (Even If You’re Introverted) | Social Intelligence Briefing
If networking feels exhausting, you’re doing it wrong. AJ and Johnny break down new research showing that closeness doesn’t require deep conversations — it requires brief, real exchanges. A 2025 Heliyon study found that even under-five-minute interactive chats significantly increased interpersonal closeness compared to non-interactive writing. Connection compounds through small, repeatable micro-moments. Weak ties don’t just comfort you — they move you. This episode explains why tiny social deposits beat rare grand gestures. Chapters 00:00 – Why introverts actually win at networking01:45 – The belief that kills momentum02:05 – The Heliyon study on brief interaction03:10 – Topic doesn’t matter — exchange does04:00 – Weak ties and the compound effect05:30 – Stop networking. Start compounding. Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com Check out Johnny on Instagram @Social_Intell or on Tiktok @social_intel The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Download Stuff for free today by going to trystuff.app or by searching for “Stuff” in the App Store. You can get 50% off your first year of Extra Stuff by using code CHARM at checkout. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for HALF OFF your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok/ networking, weak ties, social connection, interpersonal closeness, micro interactions, small talk, relationship building, social momentum, connection skills, introvert networking, social habits, communication skills, belonging, weak tie theory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 mins
19 February Finished
The Secret Service Guide to Influence | Brad Beeler
Former Secret Service agent Brad Beeler joins AJ and Johnny to break down what actually gets people to open up — especially when the stakes are high. From reading digital breadcrumbs and mastering first impressions to spotting deception and using tactical empathy, Brad shares the practical tools he used to get confessions and uncover truth under pressure. This episode reveals how preparation, presence, and calm control shape every conversation — whether you're leading a team, navigating conflict, or trying to build real trust. 00:00 – From Secret Service to reading people under pressure08:00 – First impressions, handshakes, and presence18:00 – Curiosity without the “me too” mistake28:00 – Tactical empathy and influencing without manipulation41:00 – The truth about detecting deception49:00 – De-escalation and staying calm under pressure A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. If you’ve put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at makeheadway.com/CHARM and use my code CHARM for 25% off. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Episode resources: www.BradBeeler.com Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok tactical empathy, interrogation psychology, communication skills, reading body language, deception detection, first impressions, influence, high-stakes conversations, digital footprint, curiosity, trust building, leadership communication, emotional control, conflict de-escalation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hour 1 min
16 February Finished
Why You “Click” With Some People (It’s Mostly Timing) | Social Intelligence Briefing
Why do some conversations feel effortless — while others fall flat even when you said nothing wrong? AJ and Johnny break down the neuroscience of “clicking,” including a 2022 PNAS study showing that connection often comes down to milliseconds. The secret isn’t better stories or smarter answers — it’s timing. Shorter response gaps signal attunement, alignment, and shared rhythm. Longer gaps quietly erode chemistry. If you’ve ever felt “off” despite saying the right things, this episode explains why — and how timing becomes social body language. 00:00 – The gap you can feel01:00 – Why chemistry isn’t personality02:00 – The PNAS timing study03:15 – Same words, different timing04:15 – Why rhythm equals connection Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com Check out Johnny on Instagram @Social_Intell or on Tiktok @social_intel The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Download Stuff for free today by going to trystuff.app or by searching for “Stuff” in the App Store. You can get 50% off your first year of Extra Stuff by using code CHARM at checkout. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for HALF OFF your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok/ conversation timing, social connection, chemistry, attunement, communication skills, response time, neuroscience of connection, social rhythm, conversational flow, charisma, social intelligence, listening skills, human connection, conversational dynamics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 mins
13 February Finished
How to Get Your Brain to Turn Goals Into Habits | Emily Falk
AJ and Johnny sit down with neuroscientist Emily Falk to explore why our goals so often collapse after January, and what the brain is actually optimizing for when we make decisions. Emily explains how the brain’s value system prioritizes the present self over future goals, why environment beats willpower, and how identity, social influence, and habit systems quietly shape what we do every day. From New Year’s resolutions to loneliness, leadership, and purpose, this episode reveals how to design choices that stick by working with the brain instead of against it. 00:00 – Why resolutions fail after January05:00 – The brain’s value calculator and present bias10:00 – Identity, purpose, and what we think is “fixed”15:00 – How social influence shapes what we value20:00 – Loneliness, power, and perspective loss25:00 – Designing environments that change behavior A Word From Our Sponsors Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. If you’ve put off organizing your finances, Monarch is for you. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Grow your way - with Headway! Get started at makeheadway.com/CHARM and use my code CHARM for 25% off. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Episode resources: FalkLab.org Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok decision making, values, behavior change, habits, motivation, identity, purpose, social influence, environment design, loneliness, human connection, neuroscience, choices, meaning, leadership, well-being, resolutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hour 8 mins
9 February Finished
How to Train Your Social Skills (Based on Science) | Social Intelligence Briefing
AJ and Johnny break down why high performers train everything except the moments that decide outcomes: conversations. Most people rely on experience and hope, but without feedback, social skills don’t improve — they calcify. This episode explains why structured reps and real feedback are the missing piece, how bad habits get reinforced without a loop, and why social skill is now a survival skill in careers, relationships, and leadership. Chapters 00:00 – The moments that decide everything02:00 – Why experience without feedback fails04:00 – How social skills are actually learned06:00 – Small reps, real feedback, real change08:00 – Why social skill beats technical skill now10:00 – Stop winging what matters most Stop being over looked and unlock your X-Factor today at unlockyourxfactor.com Check out Johnny on Instagram @Social_Intell or on Tiktok @social_intel The very qualities that make you exceptional in your field are working against you socially. Visit the artofcharm.com/intel for a social intelligence assessment and discover exactly what's holding you back. Download Stuff for free today by going to trystuff.app or by searching for “Stuff” in the App Store. You can get 50% off your first year of Extra Stuff by using code CHARM at checkout. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CHARM at monarch.com in your browser for HALF OFF your first year. Indulge in affordable luxury with Quince. Upgrade your wardrobe today at quince.com/charm for free shipping and hassle-free returns. Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Sign up for your $1/month trial at shopify.com/charm. Need to hire top talent—fast? Claim your $75 Sponsored Job Credit now at Indeed.com/charm. This year, skip breaking a sweat AND breaking the bank. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/charm Save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SELECTQUOTE.COM/CHARM TODAY to get started Curious about your influence level? Get your Influence Index Score today! Take this 60-second quiz to find out how your influence stacks up against top performers at theartofcharm.com/influence. Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on LinkedIn Johnny on LinkedIn AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube The Art of Charm on TikTok/ social intelligence, communication skills, feedback, confidence, influence, relationships, high performance, social skills training, credibility, connection, personal growth, behavior change, pressure situations, emotional regulation, leadership conversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 mins
6 February Finished