Episode 99 Interview: Tim den Heijer, author of The Housefly Effect, on how friction, incentives, and context shape behavior
In this episode, we chat with Tim den Heijer, co-author of the best-selling book, The Housefly Effect, about how small and often overlooked details can have a large impact on behaviour. Tim unpacks some key ideas from his book, including how to apply loss aversion, how to prevent incentives from backfiring and the importance of product naming.
Episode Highlights
Behavioral science gave Tim a new language to explain why ideas work. It helped him move beyond gut feel, challenge intuition, and explain creative decisions in a way leaders could trust.
People often choose to avoid pain, not maximize pleasure. Brands like Center Parcs succeed by reducing the risk of failure, making choices feel safe and defensible rather than exciting.
Incentives often backfire if they clash with intrinsic motivation. The key is aftercare. Reframe the action as meaningful once it happens so behavior changes attitudes, not the other way around.
Resources & Useful Links
See below for additional resources from this week's episode.
Keep Listening
Ep98 - Interview: Tara Austin, behavioral strategist at Ogilvy, on how small behavioral cues drive large-scale change
