A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management.
Mattel’s evolution from a traditional toy manufacturer into an IP-driven entertainment business centers on managing franchises rather than merely producing items. CEO Ynon Kreiz emphasizes a shift toward holistic brand management, where success in entertainment drives demand for physical products and vice versa. This t...
Elite sports coaches manage high-stakes decisions through a structured "before, during, and after" framework that prioritizes preparation, emotional regulation, and a no-blame culture. Sports performance consultant Alan McCall and sports scientist Johann Bilsborough emphasize that effective decision-making relies on bu...
Injecting play into professional environments and product development significantly enhances creativity and innovation. Mark Pincus, founder of Zynga and author of Life at the Speed of Play, argues that leaders must separate their winning instincts—the intuitive sense that a better solution exists—from their often-flaw...
Rule-breaking in organizations is a common, often increasing phenomenon that requires nuanced leadership rather than reflexive punishment. Research across four decades identifies four distinct motivations for such behavior: self-interested, pro-social, corrupted, and edified. While self-interested rule-breaking warrant...
Meetings frequently drain corporate productivity, with roughly 30% of work time spent in sessions that many employees consider ineffective or wasteful. Addressing this requires a fundamental shift in management training, as most leaders receive no formal guidance on facilitating productive discussions. Effective meetin...
Large-scale organizational transformation requires shifting from hierarchical, top-down decision-making to a decentralized model that empowers teams closest to the operational front lines. At the UN Refugee Agency, navigating a decade of increasing displacement and severe funding constraints necessitated a pivot toward...
Companies frequently lose their founding mission to short-term financial pressures, becoming "zombies" that prioritize quarterly earnings over long-term value. Eric Ries, author of Incorruptible, argues that this erosion is a systemic failure rather than a personal leadership flaw. To combat this, organizations must mo...
Rumination—the repetitive, unproductive cycle of negative thinking—severely diminishes professional performance by locking the brain's default mode network and suppressing creative problem-solving. This mental habit often stems from a perceived lack of belonging or social threat, frequently exacerbated by modern digita...
Organizational transformations fail at a rate of 60% to 75% because leaders often prioritize strategic execution over the human behavioral elements of change. Successful change requires moving beyond top-down mandates to address employee agency, motivation, and emotional resistance. Julia Dhar, managing director at Bos...
Continuous organizational change requires moving beyond traditional top-down management toward an ownership model where teams co-create solutions. Former Apple executive and author Nilofer Merchant emphasizes that true innovation stems from curiosity and the willingness to sit with discomfort rather than relying on the...
Cultivating a culture of candor requires moving beyond vague intentions to implement tactical, research-backed communication strategies. Psychological safety functions as the foundation for open dialogue, achieved through practices like ensuring equal conversational turn-taking and demonstrating "ostentatious listening...
Social psychologist Ron Friedman defines "superteams" as the top 8% of high-performing groups that excel through superior time management, peer-to-peer feedback, and continuous learning. These teams run 48% more experiments than average groups and are 50% more effective at eliminating unnecessary meetings, often replac...
Sustainable business success relies on designing "extreme positive" customer and employee experiences that transcend mere satisfaction to foster genuine love. Most organizations fail to achieve this by focusing on transactional processes and metrics rather than the human experience, which follows a curvilinear, "hockey...
The podcast explores the impact of circadian rhythms on workplace productivity and well-being, arguing that understanding and accommodating these internal clocks can optimize team performance. Stefan Volk, a professor at the University of Sydney Business School, explains how individual chronotypes—morning, evening, or ...
The podcast explores how businesses can build effective cultures to succeed with AI adoption. It addresses the uncertainty surrounding AI's productivity impact, presenting contrasting views from economists and CEOs. A three-part playbook is proposed: committing to AI, adopting an agile approach through rapid experiment...
The discussion centers on how companies can effectively integrate sustainability into their business strategies to drive innovation and growth. Goutam Challagalla, professor at IMD Business School, argues that most consumers are not willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, and many companies overestimate the ...
Tsedal Neeley's masterclass at the HBR Strategy Summit 2026 addresses AI adoption in organizations, emphasizing the need to move beyond hype. The "30% rule" suggests that a baseline understanding of AI is crucial for all employees, not just specialists. AI's impact is seen in increased productivity, with tasks being co...
The discussion centers on improving disagreement in professional settings, emphasizing observable behaviors over internal mindsets. Julia Minson, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and author of "How to Disagree Better," suggests leaders model receptiveness to opposing views by demonstrating they are thoughtfull...
The conversation explores the evolving relationship between business leaders and government, particularly in the context of a shifting political landscape. It addresses whether Friedman's shareholder-focused economic approach is still relevant and how CEOs navigate political issues, balancing company performance with s...
The discussion centers on how AI is reshaping business strategy, decision-making, and value creation. Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient, argues that AI should be viewed as an operating system rather than a mere tool, necessitating a rethinking of traditional linear strategies and business models. He emphasizes the imp...
Follow this podcast in Podwise
Sign in to get AI summaries, transcripts and mind maps for any episode, including new ones.
