HBR IdeaCast

Courage involves taking bold action despite uncertainty and fear. In a volatile business environment, it's hard to be brave. But Ranjay Gulati, a professor at Harvard Business School, says that there are strategies any of us can use to get improve our ability to make smart bets on the future. He's studied dozens of leaders across industries and explains how they embolden themselves and their organ...

As a leader, psychology is fundamental to your success - whether that means understanding consumer behavior, team dynamics, or even your own biases and blind spots. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says that an important phenomena to understand is that of common knowledge and its downstream effects. It's the idea that there is power in knowledge, but also power in knowing what other people know - a...

Across industries, organizations are struggling to move as quickly as they need to on key priorities and new initiatives. The solution for many, says Stanford's Melissa Valentine, might be "flash teams" -- project groups that can be instantly, efficiently, and cost-effectively brought together and organized via online labor markets and AI and other digital tools to solve any problem. She explains...

A fast-moving lie can do more damage to a company’s reputation than a slow, careful truth can fix. Executives who think fake news is just a political problem are underestimating its reach and cost. Patrick Haack, professor of strategy and responsible management at HEC Lausanne, explains why traditional responses like silence or fact-checking aren’t enough. He outlines what companies should be doin...

At every stage of leadership, it's important to hand some tasks and even decisions off to team members to foster their development and free up your time for higher level work. But even seasoned bosses often have trouble effectively delegating. Elsbeth Johnson, senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, explains the four main reasons why we struggle -- both internal and external -- and...

Leading an organization is a serious job, but Adam Christing argues that humor is a shortcut to building trust at an organization - and without it, you might be missing out on an important leadership tool. Christing is a comedian, speaker and author and he walks through five main kinds of humor that are most effective at work. It's not about knock-knock jokes, he says, but finding a style that's a...

Amid great economic, political, and technological change, it can feel impossible to predict what might happen next. Nick Foster, a futurist and designer who has worked at Google X, Sony, and elsewhere, says that most of us struggle because we tend to fall into one pattern of thinking about the future. A better approach -- for leaders, teams, and entire organizations -- is to consider the long-term...

AI ecosystems are moving fast, and smart leaders are considering all options when it comes to staying competitive. Amit Joshi is a professor at IMD Business School, and he argues that leaders should be looking to Chinese technology as a possible way to power up their strategies and growth. The adoption comes with some risks that leaders must be aware of, Joshi explains, but a careful combination o...

Whether your organization encourages working from home or the office, much of your business is no doubt conducted virtually — over email, on Slack, or via Zoom meetings. But few of us think very carefully about how to most effectively use these tools or which to employ when. And few teams and companies have established best practices for virtual communication, which can hurt collaboration, sales,...

It might seem risky to base decisions as a leader on your gut feeling or intuition. But Laura Huang's research has found that intuition isn't just an arbitrary thought or emotion; that it’s the culmination of years of data and observation, and that it is worth listening to. The Northeastern University professor shares what she's learned about intuition, how we can recognize it and tap into it, and...

It might seem that high-achievers with important jobs don't need — or even have time for — activities that bring them joy. But it turns out that finding joy at all stages of life (along with achievement and meaningfulness) is essential to feeling satisfied and being a more effective leader. Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow has studied busy executives who do - or do not - find joy an...

Conflict has always been a big part of the business world, whether in the board room, between startup cofounders, or when employees start to disagree with the C suite. But it seems even more pronounced at work today, as political and economic issues seep into the office. Leaders must have the muscles to handle conflict big and small, argues Peter T. Coleman, a professor at Teachers College, Columb...

You might have your teams and organization implementing new AI tools, but how much have you experimented with them yourself? Alexandra Samuel is a tech speaker and journalist, and she says many leaders are still just scratching the surface of AI by using things like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot as supercharged search engines. Instead, she recommends managers at all levels start playing with AI at...

Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard University, has seen the ups and downs of the American economy throughout the decades. As leaders today contend with fears of economic downturn, the growth of artificial intelligence, tariffs, inflation and more, he shares what he thinks we should—and shouldn’t—be worried about. He also discusses how he believes...

Whether you're a manager trying to move your organization in a new direction, an entrepreneur seeking to fix a consumer pain point, or a non-profit leader working to improve society, it can be hard to turn your and others' passion for a cause into meaningful change. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy group, shares how she channeled her anger over U.S. school sh...

With some high-profile CEOs demanding workers return to the office five days a week, and others touting the benefits of fully remote work, many companies compromised and ended up somewhere in the middle. But that hybrid compromise can often bring the worst of both worlds. Wharton professor Peter Cappelli and senior HR strategist Ranya Nehmeh have looked deeply at what is going wrong with hybrid -...

As prime minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, Jacinda Ardern managed one challenge after another: from natural disasters to a terrorist attack to the Covid-19 pandemic. To navigate that complexity, she had to learn how to gather experts and gain consensus on decisions even when information was scant or changing, to transparently communicate her plan of action, and to convey both calm and com...

Listening well is an essential aspect of leadership - not just to maintain good relationships with employees, but to drive real business improvements and results. But many of us still get it wrong - or might think we are good listeners but don't give that impression to our teams. Jeff Yip, assistant professor of management at Simon Fraser University’s Beedle School of Business, explains why the sk...

Although we’ve seen great successes come out of the technology sector in recent decades, many critics — and even some insiders — say it’s due for an overhaul. As a longtime Silicon Valley engineer and executive and cofounder of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference, Telle Whitney argues that tech culture is still too closed-off and unwelcoming to different points of view, w...

To achieve long-term success in tumultuous businesses like media and entertainment, following formulas and data won't get you there. Barry Diller, the current Chairman and Senior Executive of both IAC and Expedia Group, has built a decades-long career in TV, film, and digital media by going with his instincts and betting on what he views as good ideas with limitless potential. He shares what he's...

In a period of increasing political and economic uncertainty, government funding cuts, and AI that can outperform humans, many people are rightly worried about how those forces might disrupt their careers. Layoffs loom, and even those in senior leadership might soon experience - or have already endured - a setback they weren't expecting. Whitney Johnson, the CEO of Disruption Advisors, has advice...

It's a tough time to lead one of the biggest companies in the world - one that depends on supply chains, physical infrastructure, and top tech talent to stay competitive. But Andy Jassy, who took over as CEO of Amazon from legendary founder Jeff Bezos in 2021, manages in a way that he says helps him stay focused on what is best for their products and ultimately their customers. He explains his dec...

 A new sound is in store for the HBR IdeaCast. Every Tuesday, we'll keep giving you the insights, research, and advice you need to lead, featuring practical conversations with leading thinkers. But as Adi Ignatius, editor-at-large at Harvard Business Review, joins executive editor Alison Beard as cohost of the show, we're offering even more to better serve you. Look forward to more interviews with...

Many industries depend on the government to finance infrastructure and research before a true private market can develop. In the case of space, there is still a strong need for public-private collaboration. But as costs drop to reach space, more private-sector companies can enter the market. Matthew Weinzierl is a senior associate dean and professor at Harvard Business School, and Brendan Rosseau...

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 en...