Leslie K. John

Leslie K. John is the James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, specializing in behavioral science, decision-making, negotiation, and human communication. Before her academic career, John trained as a ballet dancer at the National Ballet School of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, and John Cranko Ballet School in Germany. After retiring from dance, she earned advanced degrees, including a PhD in behavioral decision research and an MSc in psychology and behavioral decision research from Carnegie Mellon University.

At Harvard Business School, John teaches negotiation, marketing, and behavioral economics in Executive Education programs such as the Program for Leadership Development, as well as in the MBA curriculum. Her research employs laboratory and field experiments to explore topics at the intersection of marketing, organizational behavior, and public policy. One primary research area examines privacy and self-disclosure, focusing on the factors that influence individuals to share or withhold personal information and how organizations utilize personal data. Another area involves developing psychologically informed interventions to encourage healthier choices. Her work appears in academic journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Psychological Science, Management Science, Journal of Marketing Research, and Journal of the American Medical Association.

John has received recognition for her research from organizations such as the Association for Psychological Science and the Marketing Science Institute, and has been named a Wired Innovation Fellow. Her work has been featured in media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times, NPR, The Economist, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Time Magazine, as well as on programs such as Hidden Brain and Harvard Business Review IdeaCast Podcast. She provides expert testimony on consumer behavior, privacy, and disclosure, and is a frequent keynote speaker and consultant for organizations in finance, consulting, and consumer goods.

John is the author of the book "Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing," published by Riverhead Books. Drawing on extensive research, the book challenges the notion that saying less is always safer and argues that thoughtful openness can strengthen relationships, improve influence, and enhance wellbeing. The book has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Time, The Guardian, and The Independent. John offers practical tools for leaders and organizations to communicate effectively, make informed decisions, and build trust.