Maya Shanker: How to navigate career and personal setbacks | Masters of Scale

Whether you’ve been laid off, starting a new job, or facing a major career or personal change, behavioral science can offer powerful tools for navigating uncertainty. In this Masters of Scale conversation, cognitive scientist Maya Shankar joins host Jeff Berman to share how research-backed insights — shaped by her time building the first behavioral science team in the Obama White House — can help people adapt, rebuild, and move forward with intention.

Drawing from her own life-altering experiences and her book The Other Side of Change, Maya explores how identity, resilience, and purpose evolve when plans fall apart.

Chapters:
00:00 Introducing Maya Shankar
01:08 When Maya Shankar couldn't play the violin any longer
07:09 Maya Shankar on "the end of history illusion"
09:30 Inside Maya Shankar's time in the Obama White House
15:49 Entrepreneurial lessons for navigating large organizations
20:30 What to do when you've been laid off
22:15 The power of breaking big goals into small steps
27:18 Using gratitude and affirmation to navigate grief and change

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On Masters of Scale, iconic business leaders share lessons and strategies that have helped them grow the world's most fascinating companies. Founders, CEOs, and dynamic innovators (from companies like Uber, Airbnb, Apple, and Disney) join candid conversations about their triumphs and challenges with a set of luminary hosts, including founding host Reid Hoffman — LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner. From navigating early prototypes to expanding brands globally, Masters of Scale provides priceless insights to help anyone grow their dream enterprise.

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