HBR IdeaCast

It's a common story: an immigrant arrives in a new country, sees a need, and works hard to build a successful business around it. Think of Chobani, Google, or Tesla. Indeed, 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies had immigrant founders. While most research focuses on why these people launched their businesses, perhaps more interesting is how they achieved lasting success. Neri Karra Sillaman is an entrepreneurship expert at Oxford University and the founder of luxury leather goods company Neri Karra. She's studied these entrepreneurs and shares her findings, which offer lessons for anyone in the corporate world. Sillaman wrote the book Pioneers: Eight Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

As you advance in your career, you develop the skills to lead teams and manage direct reports. But no matter your role or seniority, you’ll always need to manage those above you and to develop the right relationships to progress. The secret to managing up, says Melody Wilding, is being strategic and thoughtful in several key kinds of conversations with your boss and boss’s boss—including finding alignment, setting boundaries, getting visibility for your work, and winning a promotion. She explains how the effort pays off both in future opportunities and your day-to-day satisfaction on the job. Wilding is an executive coach and the author of the book Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, no one can deny her success as both a music star and businesswoman. Her career has been a masterclass in everything from customer connection to innovation, decision-making to digital adaption, offering lessons for people in any industry. HBR senior editor Kevin Evers investigated Swift's rise and evolution for his new book, There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, and found interesting patterns. He explains how she's kept audiences loyal, why her Eras tour was so successful, and the vision and "productive paranoia" that have kept her on top. Evers also wrote the HBR article "The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift."

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

Many organizational leaders believe remote work is here to stay. Others are requiring employees return to the workplace. But Prithriwaj “Raj” Choudhury, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, says it’s not a simple managerial choice between two options. He explains three main variations of hybrid work: quarterly, monthly, and weekly. And he shares three key challenges to remote work: isolation, communication, and socialization. And he breaks down the specific management practices necessary to make those hybrid arrangements succeed most effectively, adding that AI is making some of those practices easier and cheaper than ever. Choudhury’s new book is The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

Whether we’re interacting with colleagues, clients, friends, family members or strangers, conversations are the way most of us build — or break — relationships. And yet we don’t often think deeply about how to approach this type of casual communication.  Alison Wood Brooks, associate professor at Harvard Business School, has studied what it takes to create a great conversation and offers research-backed tips for improving your skills. Brooks is the author of the book Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

Sales commissions act as a crucial lever to increase revenue and customers. But sometimes those incentives bring unintended consequences. New research identifies eight ways that salespeople across industries cheat or bend the rules to maximize their gain—often at the expense of the company's bottom line and customer loyalty. Huntsman School of Business professor Timothy Gardner and consultant Colin Wong explain these tactics, like sandbagging, falsifying data, and giving excessive discounts to close deals. The researchers also share how company leaders can audit, correct, and monitor an incentive program—and when they should let some practices slide to maintain productivity and motivation. Gardner and Wong are coauthors of the HBR article “How Salespeople Game the System.”

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

What does it take to really energize people and motivate them toward a goal?  Inspirational leadership might seem idiosyncratic and hard to quantify, but, according to Adam Galinsky, professor at Columbia Business School, it involves three key elements: having a vision, setting an example, and mentoring. His research shows this is true across industries and geographies, and he offers advice on how to improve in each area. He's author of the book Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others as well as the HBR article “What Sets Inspirational Leaders Apart”.

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

There are all kinds of productivity tools out there promising to help you make the most of your day. Some people swear by timeboxing: the method of reserving time on your calendar each day for each task you want to get done, and then truly focusing on that one thing at a time. The return on merging your to-do list with your calendar like this, says Marc Zao-Sanders, is higher productivity, better collaboration, and less distraction and anxiety. He explains how try to the method yourself and the how your team and organization benefit from it, not just you. Zao-Sanders is author of the book "Timeboxing: The Power of Doing One Thing at a Time."

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

In an age of rapidly changing technology, it’s more important than ever for organizations to effectively support employee learning. Gianpiero Petriglieri, associate professor at INSEAD, has studied leaders who do this well and says they fall into three categories: custodians, challengers, or connectors. He explains which type of learning leader works best in which contexts and how all three approaches can help individuals and teams reach the next level. Petriglieri is author of the HBR article "Three Ways to Lead Learning."

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

Despite all the ways that artificial intelligence promises to improve our lives, many consumers feel anxious and are averse to AI-powered products and services. For marketers and product managers, it’s vital to understand what is driving that resistance to adoption. Julian De Freitas is an assistant professor in the marketing unit at Harvard Business School. He has identified five main ways people see artificial intelligence negatively: that AI is opaque, emotionless, inflexible, autonomous, and not human enough. Through real-life cases and the latest research, he explains how companies can soothe anxieties and encourage consumer adoption. De Freitas the author of the HBR article "Why People Resist Embracing AI."

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2025

Amid the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States and elsewhere, leaders in both the public and private sectors are reevaluating their organizations' policies and goals. While many employers and employees still value and support DEI, a growing chorus argues that such programs run counter to meritocratic ideals. Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi of the Harvard Kennedy School think there's one principle everyone should be able to agree on -- fairness -- and argue for a data-driven approach to measuring it. They share their research on how to make workplace systems more fair and offer cases we can all learn from. They wrote the book Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results.

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2025

Many consumers are buying electric vehicles, thanks to sportscar-like performance, government incentives, and personal motivations to minimize climate change. But the EV industry overall has revved and sputtered in unpredictable ways and offers a case study in managing innovation, regulation, and competition. Mike Colias, deputy bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal, explains the complex landscape that incumbents such as GM and Ford and start-ups like Tesla find themselves in. Through stories of iconic industry executives and bold competitive moves, he shares insights that leaders in every industry can learn from. Colias wrote the new book Inevitable: Inside the Messy, Unstoppable Transition to Electric Vehicles.

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

As organizations and workers face a new wave of technological change, Deborah Perry Piscione argues that we're at a pivot point where old models of employment will be replaced by entirely new ones. Get ready for GenAI-assisted, decentralized, sometimes autonomous workforces, and “jobs” that span gigs, companies, industries, geographies, and the metaverse.  Piscione describes this new reality and how mindset shifts and upskilling can help us prepare. She's the coauthor, along with Josh Drean, of the book Employment is Dead: How Disruptive Technologies are Revolutionizing the Way We Work.

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

If you've ever tried to change things at work, you know the headwinds you face. Teams and processes are often trapped in longstanding, ineffective patterns that are hard to budge. Dan Heath, senior fellow at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, explains proven techniques to reset. Those include making the problem visible, jolting incremental progress to start gaining traction, and motivating teams into a new direction. He shares real-life examples of how leaders and teams broke through seemingly intractable work situations. Heath is the author of the new book Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working.

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2025

Our families, schools, and workplaces often train us to comply: taking on additional work when asked, agreeing with the group's consensus, and going along to get along with our bosses and colleagues. So, even when we're told to "think different" and "embrace conflict," we often hold ourselves back. But when individuals learn to say no more often, it can have huge benefits for their careers and organizations, says Dr. Sunita Sah. A psychologist and professor at Cornell's SC Johnson College of Business, she shares a research-backed framework for evaluating whether to comply or defy at work and offers advice on how to do both more effectively. Sah is author of the book Defy: The Power of No In a World That Demands Yes.

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

High standards, attention to detail, and self-control are invaluable qualities at work. They’re also aspects of perfectionism, something to which many high achievers credit much of their success. But Ellen Hendriksen, clinical psychologist at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, says being your own worst critic can also lead to constant dissatisfaction at work and alienation from coworkers. Her new book is How to Be Enough: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists. Drawing on her own research, clinical work, and personal experience as a perfectionist, she explains where perfectionism comes from and how it affects teams. Hendriksen shares how not to be so hard on yourself—while still keeping your high standards.

Transcribed - Published: 7 January 2025

We all know the stereotypes of leaders who use charisma, manipulation, domineering behavior, or their status in the hierarchy to exert control. But there is another type of leader whose power isn’t necessarily related to their position on the org chart. Chris Lipp has spent years studying people who’ve developed this “personal power” that is rooted in their internal values. Lipp is a professor at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, an executive coach, and the author of the new book The Science of Personal Power. He’s investigated where this second type of power comes from, how it can enhance our lives, and how to tap into it using some simple strategies and tools.

Transcribed - Published: 31 December 2024

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. John and Alison Wood Brooks, professors at Harvard Business School. In this classic episode, they join former host Sarah Green Carmichael to talk through insights from behavioral science research. They share techniques to adjust the frame, tone, and type of questions to improve results—whether you’re looking to get information, find solutions, or just get someone to like you. Brooks and John wrote the article “The Surprising Power of Questions” in the May–June 2018 issue of Harvard Business Review.

Transcribed - Published: 24 December 2024

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 Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, smart organizations are increasingly eschewing that strategy for one focused on products that grow with the consumer through creative design or software updates. He shares several examples and explains how this approach can deliver more value for the buyer – and for the business – over the long term. Govindarajan is the coauthor of the HBR article "Design Products That Won't Become Obsolete."

Transcribed - Published: 17 December 2024

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 fleshing out franchises, rather than dreaming up new things. And the same can be said of many established businesses in other industries. Larry Kasanoff, a movie producer and former studio head, has lessons from his career taking passionate risks to make groundbreaking movies like Platoon, Dirty Dancing, and Mortal Kombat. He breaks down his framework for innovation in three parts: Create, Ask, and Play. Kasanoff is the author of A Touch of the Madness: How to Be More Innovative in Work and Life . . . by Being a Little Crazy.

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

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 once a year at an off-site brainstorming session. Marketing executives Kathryn Jacob and Sue Unerman argue that we all need to be exercising our creative muscles more regularly, especially in the age of AI, when routine work can be outsourced to algorithms but new thinking still comes from human minds. They offer prompts for spurring more creativity -- by yourself or with a team -- no matter where you work. Jacob and Unerman are the authors of the book A Year of Creativity: 52 Smart Ideas for Boosting, Creativity, Innovation, and Inspiration at Work.

Transcribed - Published: 3 December 2024

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 social networks and the ubiquity of social media. But today, Roizen says that those developments have not fundamentally changed how she builds and maintains strong personal and professional relationships. Now a partner at Threshold Ventures and a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, she shares the biggest missteps that she sees people take. She also explains the impact of AI and remote work on networking, her most effective strategies for building relationships, and her frank advice for those just starting their careers. Roizen is subject of the HBS case study “Heidi Roizen.”

Transcribed - Published: 26 November 2024

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 into all of its products. Nikesh explains how he’s managing new opportunities and risks in the age of generative AI – including the single cybersecurity risk that keeps him up at night. He also shares his approach to leading innovation and evolving Palo Alto’s go-to-market strategy when new technologies are developing so rapidly.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2024

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 with expert thinkers on key business, management, and leadership issues. To celebrate, hosts Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch have scoured the archive for ten episodes with top-notch insights to give your career a rocket boost. The curated selection features a diverse group of academics—from business strategy icon Michael Porter to burnout researcher Christina Maslach—and practitioners, such as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Oscar-winning director Ron Howard. Their powerful ideas and timeless advice cover a range of communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills that are essential for success—whether you’re in your first job, managing a team, or leading an organization. Listen to the episodes: #677: Why People — and Companies — Need Purpose (2019) #114: Speaking Well in Tough Moments (2008) #371: Lead Authentically, Without Oversharing (2013) #924: How One F-35 Fighter Pilot Makes Decisions Under Pressure (2023) #949: Making Peace with Your Midlife, Mid-career Self (2024) #889: Ron Howard on Collaborative Leadership and Career Longevity (2022) #596: Microsoft’s CEO on Rediscovering the Company’s Soul (2017) #595: Transcending Either-Or Decision Making (2017) #771: Why Burnout Happens — and How Bosses Can Help (2020) #229: How to Fix Capitalism (2011) The IdeaCast team would like to thank all the guests who've contributed their voices and expertise as well as all the people who've made the show possible behind the scenes.

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2024

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 driving and other growth initiatives, and its products and services have attracted hundreds of millions of users and hundreds of thousands of enterprise customers. Leading all of that is co-founder, CEO, and chairman Robin Li. He explains how Baidu has built generative AI into its business – including their AI chatbot, ERNIE Bot. Robin also shares the technology trends he’s keeping an eye on – from AI bubbles to robotaxis – and how he anticipates these fast-moving changes will transform our world.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

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 in startups and is spreading to other businesses and nonprofits. But while a fast-growing number of senior leaders seek this work arrangement, many companies are unsure of how to go about it. Tomoko Yokoi and Amy Bonsall are experts on the practice. Yokoi is a researcher at the TONOMUS Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation at IMD Business School. Bonsall is a former executive at IDEO and Old Navy who works as a part-time chief product officer with several organizations. They explain when and how fractional leadership works best—for the individual as well as the organization—and how to do it right. Yokoi and Bonsall wrote the HBR article “How Part-Time Senior Leaders Can Help Your Business.”

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024

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 took the helm a year ago, after stints as a senior executive at Microsoft, CGI Federal, and Unisys. She discusses her approach to strategic transformation at SAIC through fine tuning and employee upskilling, rather than wholesale change. She also shares how the company is incorporating cutting edge technologies, like generative AI, with appropriate safeguards for government clients.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2024

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 shareholders more willing than ever to challenge companies -- and one another -- on a range of issues. It's hard to know how to lead gracefully in such turbulent times, but Karthik Ramanna, professor at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government, has some answers. Drawing on his work with government officials and corporate executives, he walks us through the root causes of our current crisis, explains how to effectively navigate through disagreement, and offers practical takeaways for managers at every level. Ramanna is the author of the book The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World.

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2024

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 on the future of artificial intelligence. In this interview with HBR Editor in Chief Adi Ignatius, Hoffman shares his approach to managing technological change and innovation, explains why he thinks generative AI won't destroy jobs, and imagines how these new tools will transform our world. Spoiler: It's all about managing technological change and innovation the right way. Previously, Hoffman founded or co-founded PayPal, Inflection AI, and LinkedIn, where he served as CEO and is now its executive chairman. He’s also an active early-stage investor at Greylock Partners, host of the Masters of Scale and Possible podcasts, and author of the forthcoming book Superagency.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

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. New research from Ethan Burris, professor of management at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, sheds light on how to weed through all the data, make sure workers feel heard, and turn employee insights into real results. Burris is a coauthor of the HBR article "What Companies Get Wrong About the Employee Experience."

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2024

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 professor at Harvard Business School, and Michael Horn, cofounder of the Clayton Christensen Institute, points to a host of push and pull forces that cause workers to jump ship and also outlines better retention strategies. They are the coauthors, along with Bob Moesta, of the HBR article "Why Employees Quit" and the book Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career.

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2024

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-Domínguez has advice on regaining your joy at work. She recommends various techniques to incorporate optimism and well-being into your management role. They include remembering your purpose, embracing a beginner’s mindset, keeping a folder of positive feedback as inspiration, and celebrating the contributions of team members. Auger-Domínguez is a workplace strategist and the author of the HBR article "Finding Joy as a Manager — Even on Bad Days."

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

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 exploration of tipping points — the phenomenon where small, incremental actions can suddenly fuse into a full-blown social behavior — brought research insights to life and made them mainstream. Now he's revisiting tipping points, this time looking at how they can be used for damaging results. In this episode, HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius speaks to Gladwell about how the author’s ideas have changed, the importance of social science and journalism in today's world of virality, and the unexpected ways leaders should consider human behavior. Gladwell is the author of the new book Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

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 enough to build a long-term advantage over competitors, says Jay Barney, professor at the University of Utah's Eccles School of Business. Yes, leaders need to deploy these new tools, especially those that use GenAI, to stay relevant. But they also need to think about how AI can be applied to their business' differentiating competencies and offerings to truly add value. Barney is the coauthor, along with Martin Reeves of Boston Consulting Group, of the HBR article "AI Won't Give You a New Sustainable Advantage."

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

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 often misunderstood and that tribal instincts can in fact be very positive influences in society and at work. He uses the lens of cultural psychology to explain the deep-seated instincts behind the human need to join and identify as a group. And he breaks down how team managers and organizational leaders can leverage tribal instincts in positive ways strengthen workplace culture. Morris is the author of the new book Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together.

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

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 President Barack Obama, helping to carefully craft his messages and win over audiences. He has gone on to coach business leaders including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and he says that many of the same principles for good speechwriting and delivery apply - whether you’re giving a presentation to your team, pitching a client, or making comments in a moment of crisis. He explains the importance of authenticity and personal stories, structure, language choice and presence. Szuplat is the author of the book Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience.

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2024

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 productive at knowledge work. As automation and AI take more rote takes off our plates, she shares how we can train our brains to be more effective at doing work that really matters. She explains how our brains tackle different kinds of work, how we can better schedule our days to align with those states of mind, and what this all means for managers and organizations. Storoni is the author of the new book Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work.

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 2024

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, global managing director of technology research and thought leadership, and Paul R. Daugherty, chief technology and innovation officer, argue that we all need to build what they call "fusion skills." They include intelligent interrogation (using research-backed prompting techniques to deliver better results), judgment integration (ensuring there is a human in the loop when necessary), and reciprocal apprenticing (training ChatGPT, Claude, Co-pilot or proprietary tools to improve while we get better at working with them). They offer advice on how to hone all three. Together, they wrote the HBR book Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, now available in a New and Expanded Edition as well as the HBR article “Embracing Gen AI At Work.”

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2024

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 they’re not working. Thomas Keil, management professor at the University of Zurich, and Marianna Zangrillo, a partner at The Next Advisors, have interviewed more than 100 CEOs and senior executives. Their research identifies three main types of failing leadership teams: shark tanks, petting zoos, and mediocracies. And they identify the pitfalls of each pattern and how to turn those teams around. Keil and Zangrillo wrote the HBR article "Why Leadership Teams Fail."

Transcribed - Published: 3 September 2024

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 work hard, be creative, and embrace change. When he was president and CEO of Marvel, Peter Cuneo oversaw the resurgence and sale of the media company, but even before that he had a long track track for turning around many types of consumer-facing businesses. He shares the strategies that work best for shaking up organizations and teams and boosting their performance. Cuneo is also the managing principal of Cuneo and Company.

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2024

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 data that could be very relevant. The better way is learning how to interpret, question, and engage with data and studies, say Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School professor Michael Luca. They break down the essential analytical tools to assess and interrogate data to be able to apply it to business decisions. Edmondson and Luca are coauthors of the HBR article "Where Data-Driven Decision-Making Can Go Wrong."

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2024

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 if you’re on the quieter and more understated side, working in an organization where the loud and showy get the most recognition, this can be frustrating. But there are ways to get noticed while also staying true to yourself, says Jessica Chen. She's a former TV news reporter and the founder of Soulcast Media, a communications consultancy, and she shares lessons about more effective communication and self-promotion. Chen wrote the book Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons.

Transcribed - Published: 13 August 2024

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 avoidance is costly. Doctoral student Christina Bradley and professor Lindy Greer, both of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, say teams perform better when their leaders respond effectively to members’ emotions. The researchers outline when and how to do that in a way that builds stronger relationships, teams, and organizational culture. Bradley and Greer are coauthors, with Michigan Ross professor Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, of the HBR article "When Your Employee Feels Angry, Sad, or Dejected."

Transcribed - Published: 6 August 2024

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 pivotal lessons about everything from managing stress and assessing risk to cross-cultural communication and navigating bias. She shares how the skills she picked up can be applied in all kinds of careers. Coleman is the author of the book Sharing Space: An Astronaut's Guide to Mission Wonder and Making Change.

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2024

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 research shows that mastering instinct is far more effective than persuasion. And she shares her key lessons for aligning with the instinctive mind to improve company brands, new products, social campaigns, or your own personal brand. Zane is the author of the book The Power of Instinct: The New Rules of Persuasion in Business and Life.

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

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 into people-pleasing patterns, the negative impact it can have on our careers, and how to stop. She also offers advice for managers on how to help employees identify and break out of these bad habits. Magee is the author of Stop People Pleasing and Find Your Power.

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

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 executive is often mishandled, with negative impacts on succession and the organization. Rebecca Slan Jerusalim, an executive director at Russell Reynolds Associates, and Navio Kwok, a leadership advisor at RRA, say that boards are often surprised when a CEO gives notice, and they often make that person feel excluded during the handoff process. The researchers share stories from the front lines about CEO psychology, best practices for outgoing leaders and their boards, and broader lessons for effective transitions. Jerusalim and Kwok wrote the HBR article "The Vital Role of the Outgoing CEO."

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024

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 shares lessons on following your passion, staying humble, working your way up, and defying stereotypes and expectations. He's the author of a new memoir Life's Too Short.

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024

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. Leadership coach Jenny Fernandez says that increasing the frequency of feedback and consciously developing better relationships with direct reports help make these conversations easier to start. And she shares how the right preparation, tone, and open-minded approach lead to more effective discussions that improve not just the one-on-one relationship, but also team morale and turnover rates. Fernandez is the author of the HBR article "How to Talk to an Employee Who Isn’t Meeting Expectations."

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2024

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 those preferences. They see favorites and non-favorites, ingroups and outgroups -- and when those divisions fester, they can destroy team culture and performance. Ginka Toegel, professor at IMD Business School, explains why even well-intentioned managers succumb to favoritism, how workers on both sides are affected, and what we can do to both avoid and rectify the problem. Toegel is the coauthor of the HBR article "Stop Playing Favorites."

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2024