Catalyst Center for Work Innovation: The Debate

In this episode, the hosts clash over why one of management theory's most celebrated ideas—double-loop learning—has become more of a buzzword than a reality in actual organizations. They dissect research revealing that while companies love to talk about challenging underlying assumptions and transforming how they operate, most never move beyond surface-level problem-solving because of defensive re...

In this episode, the hosts lock horns over a controversial finding that challenges the corporate enthusiasm for people analytics: surveillance technology designed to boost productivity and wellbeing may actually be driving employees out the door. They debate explosive research showing that when companies deploy monitoring systems to track worker behavior through granular data dashboards—tools mana...

In this provocative debate, our two cohosts face off over Jonathan H. Westover's controversial interpretation of Apple's recent executive departures—is it strategic genius or spin doctoring disaster? One host embraces Westover's thesis that clustered leadership exits represent deliberate realignment, arguing that when organizational culture becomes structural inertia blocking AI transformation, a...

In this empowering debate, our two cohosts battle over whether employees truly shaping their own roles is the engagement revolution we've been waiting for—or just another way to shift corporate responsibility onto workers. One host champions the research on job crafting and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals), arguing that when companies move from top-down management to shared responsibility through psy...

In this timely debate, our two cohosts confront the pervasive trust deficit that defined the 2025 workplace—but they fundamentally disagree on who's to blame and what actually fixes it. One host argues that systematic credibility failures like ghost jobs, biased performance evaluations, and opaque leadership have shattered the psychological contract between workers and employers, creating measurab...

In this deeply philosophical debate, our two cohosts clash over whether hope is a legitimate evidence-based leadership framework or just feel-good corporate propaganda disguised as science. One host champions the research defining hope as a dynamic, multidimensional capacity that can be intentionally cultivated through cognitive, social, and behavioral practices, arguing that hope-capable leaders...