Power is not the same thing as influence, and hierarchy is not inherently the cause. In this episode of _At Work, Under Pressure_, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Nir Halevy of Stanford University to talk about social influence, negotiation, power, psychological safety, organizational hierarchy, courage, and what happens when workplace systems become competitive, unjust, and unstable. Nir explains why negotiators and employees alike benefit from thinking about power more broadly. Formal authority and money are only part of the picture; expertise, relationships, alternatives, reputation, social networks, communication channels, and even who else is in the room can dramatically change an interaction. Jessi and Nir discuss: • Why adding more issues to a negotiation can create options when one side feels powerless • How influence can flow indirectly through relationships and social networks rather than formal authority • Why people often have more influence inside organizations than they realize • How psychological safety affects whether employees are willing to speak up when doing so carries personal risk • Why humble leaders can shape behavior far beyond their own direct interactions • What makes organizational hierarchies become ultra-competitive, unjust, and unstable • How common values, pluralism, and relatedness can help repair dysfunctional hierarchies Nir describes broken hierarchies as environments where employees may face competition and sabotage from peers, demeaning or abusive behavior from above, instability, unpredictability, and persistent threat. His research suggests these conditions are closely connected to stress, anger, disengagement, and employee well-being. This episode is for executives, HR leaders, organizational psychologists, researchers, people managers, negotiators, and anyone trying to understand why some systems help people thrive while others leave them constantly looking over their shoulder. Because hierarchy itself is not necessarily harmful. What matters is whether the system creates predictability, dignity, connection, and enough safety for people to actually speak.