October 13, 2025
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7:20Now PlayingWho are you more likely to follow? Someone who boldly declares, “I know exactly how to get there” or someone who shrugs, “I think I might know how to get there”? Even if it turns out the second person actually had a better sense of the directions, according to marketing professor Jonah Berger, people are more likely to choose the first person simply because they expressed more confidence.
In this video lesson, he discusses how hedging can weaken your power of persuasion, how to effectively express uncertainty, and when to do so versus projecting confidence.
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About Jonah Berger:
Jonah Berger is a Wharton School professor and the internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst.
Dr. Berger is a world-renowned expert on natural language processing, change, word of mouth, influence, consumer behavior, and why things catch on. He has published over 80 articles in top-tier academic journals, teaches one of the world’s most popular online courses, and popular outlets like The New York Times and Harvard Business Review often cover his work. Berger has keynoted hundreds of major conferences and events like SXSW and Cannes Lions, advises various early-stage companies, and consults for organizations like Apple, Google, Nike, Amazon, GE, Moderna, and The Gates Foundation.
Find Jonah’s website and his latest book below:
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