Likeable Badass: The Science of Winning Power, Respect, and Influence with Alison Fragale, PhD *Spark60 Event *

Spark60 Presents Alison Fragale, Professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School | Award-Winning Organizational Psychologist

Navigating the modern workplace often feels like an impossible balancing act, and that’s especially true for women. If you are too assertive, you risk being labeled "difficult"; if you are too kind, you are often overlooked or seen as less capable. This constant tension between competence and likeability can stall career growth and lead to frustration. The good news? You don't have to choose between being respected and being liked. The key to advancing isn't about changing your personality, but understanding the science of how you are perceived.

In honor of Women's History Month, behavioral scientist Alison Fragale joins us to reveal the secret to winning power and influence. While many focus on titles or paychecks to measure success, Fragale argues that true standing comes from cultivating a reputation for both warmth and capability. Drawing from her book, Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve, she offers a practical playbook for threading the needle between kindness and competence, allowing you to secure a seat at the table without sacrificing your authenticity.

Practical Tools and Strategies You'll Gain

• Learn strategies to get what you want without spending social capital and master the art of being your own best advocate, particularly in high-stakes negotiations.
• Discover how to break free of the "competence-likeability bind"—the dilemma where professionals are viewed as less likeable when competent, and less competent when they are likeable.
• Uncover the critical difference between status and power, and learn how to cultivate both to command respect and lead effectively from where you are.
• Gain evidence-based, no-fuss guidelines for managing perceptions and building a reputation that naturally leads to career advancement and professional fulfillment.

Ideal Participants for This Conversation

• Anyone who wants to better understand the dynamics of workplace influence for women and learn how to balance assertiveness with warmth to feel more confident and perform more consistently.
• Leaders and Managers looking to foster a culture of equitable professional development and provide actionable tools to help their teams navigate complex office politics and career growth.

You can be both kind and powerful. Join Alison Fragale to discover the science of influence and the strategies you need to become a "likeable badass" in your career and life.

About the Author

Alison Fragale, PhD is an organizational psychologist, professor at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, and bestselling author of Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve. Her academic research on status, power, negotiation, and influence has been published in her field’s top academic journals as well as national media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who uses behavioral science to help individuals, especially women, excel. Prior to her academic career, Alison worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company, Inc.

She holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Alison resides in Chicago with her husband and her three children, who are all named after professional athletes. She also loves, in no particular order: cheap coffee, not-so-cheap wine, fabulous shoes, sushi, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Peloton workouts, Hallmark movies, and The Golden Girls.

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