HBR On Leadership

If you think your organization is difficult to maneuver, consider the unique challenges of government leadership. Former Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker and his former chief of staff Steve Kadish faced many challenges during Baker’s time in office—perhaps most notably: the Covid-19 pandemic. Looking back, they argue that running a government is often much harder than leading a private-sector company. For one thing, Baker says, there’s rightly more public scrutiny of every decision you make as a leader. And, Kadish adds, decision-making is far more dispersed. In this episode, they share their four-part framework for breaking down complicated problems with many stakeholders to get results. If you’re struggling with bureaucracy and politics in your organization, this episode is for you. Key episode topics include: leadership, strategy execution, government, stakeholder management, decision making, problem solving, negotiation. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Leadership Lessons from a Republican Governor in a Blue State (2022) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

How do you guide a team working on innovative projects—when there is no existing playbook? Astro Teller says he uses a vetted approach to decision-making for the innovative projects that he and his teams undertake at X, Alphabet’s R&D engine. Teller is the Captain of Moonshots at X, which he helped launch at Google in 2010. His mission there is to invent and launch new technologies that address serious problems in the world. But those technologies must also create the foundations for substantial new businesses for Google’s parent company, Alphabet. They’ve worked on a pill that detects cancer, cars that drive themselves, and mega-kites that work as turbines to collect wind energy, to name just a few examples. In this episode, Teller offers key lessons for managing the process that delivers breakthrough innovations. You’ll learn how he decides to keep investing in a project, and how he knows when it’s time to pull the plug. You’ll also learn how he assembles teams and what qualities he looks for in potential new hires. Key episode topics include: leadership, innovation, technology and analytics, leadership and managing people, experimentation, creativity, breakthrough, Alphabet, Google. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: X’s Astro Teller on Managing Moonshot Innovation (2023) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Chobani is a leader in the global yogurt market, with more than 20 percent share of the U.S. market alone. It all started with one man, an abandoned yogurt factory in upstate New York, and a mission to make quality yogurt accessible to more people. In this episode, Harvard Business Review editor in chief Adi Ignatius and Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya discuss mission-driven entrepreneurship. You’ll learn how Ulukaya kept Chobani true to its original values, even as it scaled and began competing in new sectors. You’ll also learn why he adapted Chobani’s mission to center his employees. Key episode topics include: leadership, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs and founders, entrepreneurial management, food and beverage sector, Chobani, yogurt. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · View to the original New World of Work episode: Chobani Founder Hamdi Ulukaya on the Journey from Abandoned Factory to Yogurt Powerhouse (2022) · Find more episodes of the New World of Work · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

What distinguishes a leader? How do you know if you’re ready to lead? And how do you make the transition into a leadership role? The shift from being part of a team to leading one isn’t like flipping a switch. It’s a process, and it can be awkward. It can be especially difficult your identity differs from other leaders in your organization — for example, if you’re a young leader in an organization dominated by older leaders, or a woman in a male-dominated organization. In this episode, two leadership coaches, Amy Su and Muriel Wilkins of Paravis Partners, explain how to develop a leadership presence that’s both authentic to you and resonates with others. You’ll also learn some deeper questions to ask yourself during your transition into leadership. Key episode topics include: leadership, gender, authenticity, leadership presence, transitions, influencing others, leadership style, leadership journey. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Women at Work episode: Seeing Ourselves as Leaders (2019) · Find more episodes of Women at Work. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

In early 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the earth’s atmosphere. All seven astronauts on board were killed. This was not the first NASA mission to end in disaster, and it inspired Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson to write a business case about what went wrong. Edmondson studies psychological safety and organizational learning. Her most recent book is Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. In this episode, she breaks down the organizational challenges within NASA that contributed to the Columbia tragedy, offering a window into the organization’s leadership. Edmondson also shares lessons for all leaders about the dangers of unyielding hierarchy and of failing to listen to dissenting voices. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, organizational culture, operations and supply chain management, NASA, hierarchy, science. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Cold Call episode: The Space Shuttle Columbia’s Final Mission (2016) · Find more episodes of Cold Call · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

In 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln wrote a scathing letter to his top Union general, who had squandered an opportunity to end the American Civil War. Then Lincoln folded it up and tucked it away in his desk. The letter was never signed and sent—just one example of how Lincoln’s legendary emotional discipline enabled him to rise above mundane arguments and focus on a larger mission. In this episode, Harvard Business School professor and historian Nancy Koehn analyzes Lincoln’s leadership both before and during America’s greatest crisis. You'll learn how emotional self-control can impact your day-to-day leadership as well as your long-term legacy. Key episode topics include: leadership, crisis management, decision making and problem solving, government, American history, emotional discipline, communication. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Real Leaders: Abraham Lincoln and the Power of Emotional Discipline (2020) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

Growing up in the heart of the Confederacy, Maggie Lena Walker started work as a laundress at age nine. At the urging of her mother and mentors, she turned to education, and used it to propel her life forward — graduating high school at 16, working as a teacher, and learning accounting. Those experiences, coupled with her strong work ethic, culminated in Walker rising to lead the Independent Order of St. Luke and found several other businesses, all of which created jobs and opportunities for many women and Blacks people where there had been none before. In this episode, Harvard Business School senior lecturer Tony Mayo traces Walker’s approach to leadership on her journey to becoming the first female bank president in America. You’ll learn how she led the turnaround of the Order of St. Luke starting in 1899 by cutting costs, increasing membership, and launching new businesses that catered to unmet needs in Richmond's Black community. You’ll also learn how Walker relied on her personal networks and deep local roots to overcome challenges rooted in systemic racism throughout her career. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, entrepreneurship, race, gender, Independent Order of St. Luke. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Cold Call episode: Black Business Leaders Series: A Remarkable Legacy of Firsts, Maggie Lena Walker (2017) · Find more episodes of Cold Call · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

Most of us can point to a few key people who have made a real difference in our lives and careers—the coach who pushed you to outperform, the teacher whose passion for a subject inspired your own, or the boss who showed you what it is to be a leader at work. In this episode, NBA star Chris Paul shares how his own mentors guided him through the early years of his professional basketball career and helped him develop his leadership skills on and off the court. Paul is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time and led the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021. He shares what he’s learned about mentorship and leadership—and the important role communication skills play in enabling both. He also explains how to communicate with colleagues in a high-pressure situation and why it’s so important to listen to the people you lead. Key episode topics include: leadership, teams, power and influence, leading teams, organizational culture, basketball, sports. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: NBA Star Chris Paul on Mentorship and Taking a Stand (2023) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

Do you have a difficult employee on your team— someone who might be underperforming or resistant to taking feedback? Do you know how to help them? Melvin Smith says that coaching can be harder than you realize. First you must figure out which approach will work well for that specific employee. But you also need to know how to measure the success of your coaching and when it’s time to move on to other options—like performance management. In this episode, he takes questions from listeners who are struggling to coach some of their employees. He offers advice for what to do when your new employee is slacking off, or when they’re struggling to adjust to your organization’s culture and communication style. He also has suggestions for coaching two direct reports who are in conflict with each other. Smith is a professor at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and coauthor of the book Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth. Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, career coaching, managing people, organizational culture, difficult conversations. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Dear HBR episode: Coaching Problem Employees (2020) · Find more episodes of Dear HBR. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Making business decisions often means choosing one path over another—but that doesn’t always need to be the case. Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis argue that leaders should move beyond “either/or” choices and try to come up with solutions that embrace ambiguity and paradox. In this episode, you’ll learn how to reframe the question you’re asking in order to get more creative answers. You’ll also learn how to shift your own internal thinking away from oppositional relationships and instead focus on interdependencies. Smith is a management professor at the University of Delaware, and Lewis is dean of the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business. Together they’re coauthors of the book Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems. Key episode topics include: leadership, decision making and problem solving, tradeoffs, reframing. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Decisions Don’t Have to Be Either-Or (2022) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

You’re probably familiar with the term “psychological safety.” But do you know what it really means? HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says both the idea and the value of psychological safety are commonly misunderstood. Gallo cohosts HBR’s Women at Work podcast, and her most recent book is Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People). In this episode, you’ll learn how to define psychological safety, how to figure out if your team has it, and what to do if it doesn’t. Key episode topics include: leadership, organizational culture, psychology, teams, leading teams, psychological safety, emotional intelligence. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Watch the original HBR Guide episode: What Is Psychological Safety? (2023) · Find more episodes of the HBR Guide series on YouTube. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Many of us manage projects—even if “project manager” isn’t in our official job title. We try to learn the basics as we go: how to manage multiple stakeholders, adapt as circumstances change, and set realistic deadlines. It’s not easy, and it’s no wonder that people get certified in project management: it’s a discipline that’s surprisingly deep, from planning to close-out. In this episode, you’ll hear from a former clinical social worker who recently pivoted to project management and has already experienced several of the most common challenges, including uncertainty, interpersonal conflict, and lack of responsiveness from the team. She talks with Tamara McLemore, an experienced project manager who shares tips for motivating and influencing others, communicating effectively, and solving problems. You’ll also learn how to use some essential project managements tools, like a project charter and a work breakdown structure, as well as how to divide any project into four core phases and then work through them effectively. Key episode topics include: leadership, project management, leading teams, motivating people, agile, communication, collaboration. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Women at Work episode: The Essentials: Managing Projects (2023) · Find more episodes of Women at Work. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Mountains are often used as metaphors for the challenges that arise in business and leadership. But when Rick Ridgeway compares mountaineering to risk management, he’s speaking from deep experience navigating both the boardroom and some of the world’s highest slopes. Ridgeway is an outdoor adventurer, writer, and advocate for sustainability and conservation initiatives. He’s also the former vice president of environmental initiatives at Patagonia. In this episode, Ridgeway explains why good communication, ambitious goal setting, and meticulous planning are essential in both mountaineering and business. He also emphasizes the importance of recruiting a strong team — whether you’re leading an uphill battle to make apparel manufacturing more sustainable or summiting K2. (Spoiler alert: Ridgeway has done both.) Key episode topics include: leadership, sustainable business, environmental sustainability. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Tenacious Leadership on the Mountain and in the Organization (2011) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Move fast and break things.” But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, she argues that you should move fast and fix things. (That’s also the topic and title of the book she coauthored with Anne Morriss.) In this episode, Frei explains how you can solve any problem in five clear steps. First, she says, start by identifying the real problem holding you back. Then move on to building trust and relationships, followed by a narrative for your solution — before you begin implementing it. Key episode topics include: leadership, strategy execution, managing people, collaboration and teams, trustworthiness, organizational culture. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Learn more about HBR’s “Future of Business” virtual conference (November 2023) · Find more Harvard Business Review live events · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

GitLab, which builds and manages an open-source software development application, started off with employees fully dispersed and has stayed that way. Now with more than 1,300 people spread across more than 60 countries, it’s said to be the world’s largest all-remote company. In this episode, the company’s CEO Sid Sijbrandij shares the lessons he’s learned about how to manage a distributed workforce. He explains how to recruit talent who are well-suited for remote work and how to onboard them effectively. He also shares how GitLab leaders reinforce company culture remotely and how they create virtual space for informal relationship building. Key episode topics include: leadership, remote work, managing people, teams, dispersed work, culture, communication, recruitment, talent management, innovation. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Advice from the CEO of an All-Remote Company (2022) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

In 2014, Deloitte launched Pixel to facilitate open talent and crowdsourcing for client engagements that need specific expertise — like machine learning or digital production. But uptake across the organization was slow, and some internal stakeholders resisted outsourcing consulting work to freelance talent. In this episode, Harvard Business School professor Mike Tushman discusses his case, “Deloitte's Pixel (A): Consulting with Open Talent,” which breaks down the challenges the firm’s leadership faced in growing Pixel within the firm — and how they overcame them. He explains how the firm selected a leader for Pixel who already had credibility and strong social networks within Deloitte. He also shares how Pixel established credibility by collaborating with early adopters within the firm to generate positive client results. Key episode topics include: leadership, disruptive innovation, innovation, organizational change, talent management, business consulting services, crowdsourcing, freelance talent, intrapreneurship. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Cold Call episode: Transforming Deloitte’s Approach to Consulting (2022) · Find more episodes of Cold Call · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

Do people see your leadership potential? Suzanne Peterson says many talented professionals miss out on leadership roles for relatively intangible reasons. But she argues that aspiring leaders can learn to alter their everyday interactions in small ways to have a big influence on their professional reputation. Peterson is an associate professor of leadership at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, and the coauthor of the HBR article “How to Develop Your Leadership Style: Concrete Advice for a Squishy Challenge.” In this episode, she explains how to adopt markers of different leadership styles, so that you can be seen as both influential and likable. She also discusses why it’s important to focus on relationship building as you progress in your career. As she says, “Mid-career and rising senior level, now it’s all about the relationships. It’s all about how you’re perceived.” Key episode topics include: leadership, leadership development, managing yourself, power and influence, leadership style, reputation management, aspiring leaders, careers. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Defining and Adapting Your Leadership Style (2020) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Managing difficult personalities, stalled productivity, and conflict are inevitable parts of leading a team. But how do you know if your leadership is part of the problem? Melanie Parish says that many leaders see problems on their team as external without considering the impact of their own behavior on team dynamics. As she says, “There are so many different challenges. They circle. You have one challenge one week, and another challenge another week. That’s the work of leadership.” Parish is a leadership coach and the author of the book, The Experimental Leader: Be a New Kind of Boss to Cultivate an Organization of Innovators. She takes questions from listeners who are struggling to manage tough teams and offers advice for what to do when you lead a team that refuses to follow company processes or when your growing team of managers is clamoring to weigh in on key decisions. She also has suggestions for how to improve morale if your team is frustrated. Key episode topics include: leadership, leading teams, managing people, collaboration and teams, organizational culture. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Dear HBR episode: Tough Teams (2020) · Find more episodes of Dear HBR. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

Do you know how to influence people who don’t report to you? That might include your boss, clients, or even your peers. Nashater Deu Solheim argues that there are proven techniques to help you understand your colleagues’ thinking and win their respect—even in virtual work settings. Solheim is a forensic psychologist and a leadership coach who studies how people gain influence within organizations. In this episode, she explains that the key to influencing others is understanding them, and she offers a three-part framework to help you do just that. She refers to it as ABC: advanced preparation, body language, and conversation. Key episode topics include: leadership, business communication, power and influence, managing up, persuasion. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Better Ways to Manage Up and Out (2020) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

If you’ve invested in someone you manage, it’s natural to feel hurt when that person tells you they’re leaving—especially if they’re a strong contributor. The classic management advice is: Don’t take it personally. Be professional. But it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and work through them—for yourself and with your team. In this episode, three HBR leaders join managers drawn from the Women at Work audience to share their experiences losing team members. They discuss how to manage your emotions in the moment and how to look for learnings that will help you move forward. They also offer ideas for how to share the news with your boss and the rest of your team. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, gender, employee retention, staff transitions, staffing, managing emotions, difficult conversations. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Women at Work episode: Dealing with the Feels After an Employee Quits (October 2021) · Find more episodes of Women at Work. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.