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HBR IdeaCast
Description

A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management.

Episodes
  • 2024 / 12 / 24
    Best of IdeaCast: To Build Stronger Teams, Ask Better Questions

    Asking questions is a powerful way to build trust, exchange ideas, and unlock value in organizations. And it is a skill that can be honed to make work conversations more productive, say Leslie K....

  • 2024 / 12 / 17
    The Case for Selling Products that Adapt

    Many companies make money by selling goods that need to be constantly replaced; think fast fashion, or tech devices that come out in new versions each year. But according to Vijay Govindarajan, professor at...

  • 2024 / 12 / 10
    A Hollywood Producer’s Formula for Taking Bigger Risks

    Hollywood is known for huge personalities and behemoth production studios taking big swings. But critics worry that the movie industry is playing it way too safe recently — by churning out remakes and...

  • 2024 / 12 / 3
    Boost Your Creativity in Any Job

    We all know that innovative thinking is vital to individual, team, and organizational success. But we still often put creativity in a box, assuming it's only for people in certain roles or best attempted...

  • 2024 / 11 / 26
    Tried-and-True Networking Tips from Decades of Experience

    Twenty-five years ago, a Harvard Business School case study featured the exceptional networking practices of Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist Heidi Roizen. This was before the rise of online...

  • 2024 / 11 / 21
    Future of Business: Palo Alto Networks’ Nikesh Arora on Managing Risk in the Age of AI

    Palo Alto Networks is the leading global cybersecurity company. Over his six-year tenure there, CEO Nikesh Arora has expanded and reorganized the organization, including safely incorporating generative AI...

  • 2024 / 11 / 19
    10 Gems from IdeaCast’s First 1,000 Episodes

    This week marks a huge milestone for the HBR IdeaCast: our 1000th episode! Since the podcast launched in 2006, so much has happened. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to sharing in-depth conversations...

  • 2024 / 11 / 14
    Future of Business: Baidu’s Robin Li on the Technology Trends that Will Transform Business

    Baidu launched in 2000 as a search engine platform. Two decades later, it’s become one of the few companies in the world that offers a full AI stack. Its core businesses span mobile, cloud, intelligent...

  • 2024 / 11 / 12
    The Growing Trend of Part-Time Executives

    Imagine you’re leading a small organization, but you’re struggling to recruit and afford the senior talent you need to grow. You could hire a part-time executive. So-called “fractional leadership” is common...

  • 2024 / 11 / 7
    Future of Business: SAIC’s Toni Townes-Whitley on Leading Strategic Transformation

    With more than $7 billion in annual revenue and 24,000 employees, SAIC provides engineering, digital, AI, and mission support to defense, space, intelligence, and civilian customers. CEO Toni Townes-Whitley...

  • 2024 / 11 / 5
    Unifying Leadership in a Divided Time

    Around the world, the past few years have been marked by increasing political polarization and public outrage. Like it or not, this spills over into the business world, with employees, customers, and...

  • 2024 / 10 / 31
    Future of Business: Reid Hoffman on Managing Technological Change and Innovation

    Reid Hoffman is one of the most prominent and recognizable voices in Silicon Valley, and after predicting some of the biggest trends that have shaped our world in the last 25 years, he is sharing his thoughts...

  • 2024 / 10 / 29
    Turn Employee Feedback into Real Results

    We live in an age of data. But having powerful tools to gather employee feedback doesn't mean you’ll get powerful results. It’s challenging for executives to turn that feedback into substantive action....

  • 2024 / 10 / 22
    The Real Reasons Employees Quit — and How to Retain Them

    Unwelcome employee turnover can create big problems for managers, teams, and organizations, so it's important to understand the real drivers of attrition. New research from Ethan Bernstein, associate...

  • 2024 / 10 / 15
    Here’s How Managers Can Rediscover Their Joy at Work

    Managing is a tough job, sometimes a seemingly thankless one where you can feel squeezed from all sides. But for team leaders who are feeling burnt out or overwhelmed with their job, Daisy Auger-DomĂ­nguez has...

  • 2024 / 10 / 10
    Malcolm Gladwell’s New Take on Tipping Points

    There was a time when business leaders and managers didn't worry so much about psychology or other social science research. Malcolm Gladwell's writing played a big role in changing that. His popular...

  • 2024 / 10 / 8
    Why AI Isn’t Enough To Beat The Competition

    Many companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence right now, hoping to improve both efficiency and innovation. But, as with any technology that sees widespread adoption, AI itself won't be...

  • 2024 / 10 / 1
    How Tribalism Can Actually Strengthen Workplace Culture

    We live in a world that seems more divisive and polarized than ever, and it’s common to describe this phenomenon as tribalism. But Michael Morris, professor at Columbia Business School, says that term is...

  • 2024 / 9 / 24
    What We Can Learn from Great Political Speakers

    The worlds of business and politics might seem worlds apart, but executives can learn a lot from the most successful political communicators. Terry Szuplat spent several years on the speechwriting team for...

  • 2024 / 9 / 17
    Training Your Brain to Work More Effectively

    What if the key to efficiency in a world increasingly powered by AI wasn't quantity, but quality? Neuroscientist Mithu Storoni has looked at how and when our brains are the most creative and truly...

  • 2024 / 9 / 10
    The AI Skills You Should Be Building Now

    Generative artificial intelligence is here to stay, and that means employees and managers need to think even more carefully about how to make the most effective use of it. Accenture's H. James Wilson,...

  • 2024 / 9 / 3
    Dysfunctional Leadership Teams — and How to Fix Them

    CEOs get a ton of credit or blame for a company’s performance. But the entire leadership team is vital to success, and any dysfunction is often overlooked. Sometimes the CEOs leading them don’t even see that...

  • 2024 / 8 / 27
    Lessons from a Turnaround Expert

    When a company, division, or product line has been struggling for some time, it can feel nearly impossible to get things back on track. But big turnarounds are possible, provided you have a team willing to...

  • 2024 / 8 / 20
    Is Your Company Reading Data the Wrong Way?

    We live in an age where we have more data than ever. But most leaders have two strong reactions to new data. Either they rely too heavily on studies or information to make decisions. Or they dismiss outright...

  • 2024 / 8 / 13
    What to Do When You’re Overlooked

    Are you the sort of person who works really hard, hits your deadlines, runs successful projects, wins over clients... but never seems to get noticed for all that diligence, much less promoted? Especially...

  • 2024 / 8 / 6
    The Right Way to Manage Emotions on Your Team

    Many managers don't know what to say when a team member appears angry, frustrated, or sad. They might even feel it is unprofessional to acknowledge those feelings at all. But research shows that...

  • 2024 / 7 / 30
    An Astronaut’s Advice on High-Stakes Collaboration

    It's hard to imagine a more challenging work environment than the International Space Station. During her 24 years as a NASA astronaut, including a six-month stint on the ISS, Cady Coleman learned...

  • 2024 / 7 / 23
    Trying to Persuade and Other Big Mistakes Marketers Make

    Many marketers today focus on getting consumers to consciously change their behavior. But that’s a sure path to failure, according to Leslie Zane, founder of Triggers Brand Consulting. She says neuroscience...

  • 2024 / 7 / 16
    Is People-Pleasing Holding You Back?

    There's a fine line between pitching in to help your team and taking on too much at the expense of your mental health and performance. Author and coach Hailey Magee walks us through why some of us fall...

  • 2024 / 7 / 9
    Why We Should Pay More Attention to Departing CEOs

    When news breaks of a CEO succession, much of the attention is given to the new leader and how they will change the company. But new research shows that the leave-taking process of the outgoing chief...

  • 2024 / 7 / 2
    Darius Rucker on Resilience and Reinvention

    Darius Rucker has reached the top of the music charts in not just one but two genres: first as the lead singer of the 1990s band Hootie and the Blowfish, then in a second act as a solo country star. He...

  • 2024 / 6 / 25
    When Your Employee Is Underperforming

    Many managers struggle with initiating difficult conversations around an individual’s subpar performance. Often, leaders wait way too long to sit down with an employee who isn’t meeting expectations....

  • 2024 / 6 / 18
    Why Managers Play Favorites – and How They Can Change

    While most good bosses try to be fair and balanced with their direct reports, it's only human to prefer the company and work styles of some team members over others, and employees are keenly aware of...

  • 2024 / 6 / 13
    Tech at Work: The Future of Spatial Computing

    Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how to...

  • 2024 / 6 / 11
    Yum! Brands’ Former CEO on Why You Should Never Stop Learning

    After 15 years leading the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, David Novak wanted to help others become better leaders. He believes the key is to put learning at the center of everything you do,...

  • 2024 / 6 / 4
    Why You Need to Stress Test Your Strategies (and Tactics)

    While many teams and organizations engage in scenario planning, most don't go far enough. Arjan Singh, consultant and adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University, says a more disciplined approach,...

  • 2024 / 5 / 30
    Tech at Work: How to Get the Most Out of Digital Collaboration Tools

    Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how your...

  • 2024 / 5 / 28
    What Venture Capitalists Can Teach Companies About Decision-Making

    Venture capital firms notoriously embrace risk and take big swings, hoping that one startup will become a monster hit that pays for many other failed investments. This VC approach scares established...

  • 2024 / 5 / 21
    How to Navigate Change at Any Career Stage

    Disruption and transformation at the new normal in nearly every industry. So how do you stay ahead of the curve? Over the past four decades, Bonnie Hammer successfully adapted to massive changes in the...

  • 2024 / 5 / 16
    Tech at Work: How the End of Cookies Will Transform Digital Marketing

    Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how digital...

  • 2024 / 5 / 14
    The Hidden Burden of Long Covid and What Companies Can Do

    Around 18 million adults in the U.S. alone suffer from long Covid, a chronic illness with a wide range of symptoms and severity. With approved therapies a long way off, workers with long Covid often struggle...

  • 2024 / 5 / 7
    Behind the Boom in Celebrity Brands

    There was a time when consumer goods companies paid musicians, athletes, and actors for endorsements, or to license their name and likeness. But in recent years, there's been an explosion of celebrities...

  • 2024 / 5 / 2
    Tech at Work: What GenAI Means for Companies Right Now

    Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. This week: how your...

  • 2024 / 4 / 30
    How Bad Leaders Get Worse over Time

    There's plenty of advice on how to grow into a better leader. And it takes effort to become more effective. But bad leadership gets worse almost effortlessly, says Barbara Kellerman, a Center for Public...

  • 2024 / 4 / 25
    Special Series: Tech at Work

    Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make technology work for you and your team. Listen every other...

  • 2024 / 4 / 23
    Feeling Unmotivated? Here’s How to Get Out of the Rut

    Worker disengagement is on the rise around the world. Even those of us who generally like our jobs sometimes find it hard to muster energy and focus. So what's the key to regaining motivation? Harvard...

  • 2024 / 4 / 16
    Are You Asking the Right Questions?

    Few leaders have been trained to ask great questions. That might explain why they tend to be good at certain kinds of questions, and less effective at other kinds. Unfortunately, that hurts their ability to...

  • 2024 / 4 / 9
    A Roadmap for Today’s Entrepreneurs

    Many people aspire to entrepreneurship but we all know it's a high-risk endeavor. Bill Aulet, the Ethernet Inventors Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management, has for decades...

  • 2024 / 4 / 2
    Treat Email Like Laundry — and Other Tips from Google’s Productivity Expert

    The amount of work we need to get done seems to grow daily. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, we have to become more productive than ever. Laura Mae Martin has advice on what has worked well at one of the...

  • 2024 / 3 / 26
    Why the Glass Cliff Persists

    It's been nearly two decades since the term "glass cliff" was coined; it refers to the tendency for women to break through the glass ceiling to top management roles only when there is a big crisis to...