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Behavioral scientist examining the psychology of people at work

Assistant Professor at UT Austin McCombs School of Business

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I research, teach, and consult about how to make work better for everyone. Specifically, I take a scientific approach to understanding:

  • How people can find and cultivate meaningful work

  • How can organizations can attract, motivate, and retain talent

  • How leaders to can bring out the best in their teams

  • How employees can better self-advocate, negotiate, and navigate the hierarchy

I draw inspiration from my work experiences with both Fortune 500 companies and startups, as well as from people and situations I encounter every day. I earned my Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of Maryland, and my Bachelor's degree in Economics from Columbia University in New York. Prior to becoming a professor, I worked as an Equity Research Analyst at J.P. Morgan and as a Project Manager leading new product development for technology companies.


Research.

In my research I investigate how employees can successfully sell their ideas to decision-makers. This includes examining employee voice on work-related issues, self-advocacy and negotiation, and advocacy for social issues such as gender equity. In general, I'm fascinated with how frontline employees navigate the challenges inherent in getting ahead and being heard by those with greater power and influence at work.

My research has been published in academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and Journal of Applied Psychology. It has also been featured in th press and practitioner outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Fortune, Bloomberg, and Harvard Business Review. I currently serve on the Editorial Review Boards of Academy of Management Journal and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 

For full details about my research, please feel free to check out my CV.

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Teaching.

 


I currently teach Management 336: Organizational Behavior at UT Austin. The course covers a range of topics including personality, motivation, decision-making, power and influence, negotiations, teams, leadership, organizational culture, and diversity and inclusion. I taught a similar course at the University of Maryland on Managing People and Organizations, for which I received a Distinguished Teaching Award for being a top 10% instructor.

 

Consulting.

Most organizations struggle with figuring out how to bring out the best in their people. As a leader, how do you know if your best intentions are working? Will that change initiative you’re implementing have a positive impact or fail to yield results? What’s making people stay at your company, and what’s causing them to leave? What separates good teams from the great ones, and how can you replicate that across your firm?

If you’ve ever had a question around understanding your organization but didn’t know how to answer it, I can help. I take a scientific, data-driven approach to workplace behavior, and can uncover new insights about your company that lead to better decision-making.

If you’re interested to learn more, please reach out using the contact form below.

 

Data-Driven Insights for Your Organization

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Get in Touch.

 
 

You can also find me on the UT Austin webpage, or email me directly at insiya.hussain@mccombs.utexas.edu