The Fairness Instinct: Why Pride, Not Profit, Breaks Billion-Dollar Deals

Have you ever walked away from a great deal just because something “felt” unfair? You are not alone! In this week’s episode, we explore the primal instinct of fairness—an ancient force wired deep into our brains that still shapes billion-dollar decisions today.

From workplace resentment to the Treaty of Versailles, I share how perceived unfairness destroys trust faster than any spreadsheet can measure, and why logic alone can’t fix what emotion breaks. Plus, I’ll walk you through three powerful leadership strategies to defuse fairness-based conflicts before they explode.

Whether you lead teams, negotiate deals, or broker partnerships, understanding fairness isn’t optional—it’s the hidden currency of trust. Tune in now and learn how to manage the fairness instinct. Remember to order my book, The Mammoth in the Room, for more evolutionary tools to lead wisely in a modern world.

In this episode:

- An introduction to the unfairness trap

- Exploring the fairness instinct and its impact in business

- Historical examples of fairness impact

- Strategies for smart leaders to manage the fairness instinct

- A summary of key takeaways

Resources Used In This Episode:

Brosnan, S. F., & de Waal, F. B. M. (2003). Monkeys Reject Unequal Pay. Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature01963

Fehr, E., & Schmidt, K. M. (1999). A Theory of Fairness, Competition, and Cooperation. Quarterly Journal of Economics: https://web.stanford.edu/~niederle/Fehr.Schmidt.1999.QJE.pdf

MacMillan, M. (2001). Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World: https://www.amazon.com/Paris-1919-Months-Changed-World/dp/0375760520

Get in Touch:

Website: https://www.mammothleadershipsciences.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaspokorny

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MammothLeadershipSciences