Podcast
HBR IdeaCast
Hosted by Harvard Business Review · EN
A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management.
115episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What Sets Superteams Apart from the Rest
Apr 2100:25:24Summary readyA small percentage of teams perform exceptionally well and have fun while doing it. And the secret to their success isn't innate talent. It's the way they work together. Ron Friedman, psychologist and the founder of Superteams, Inc., has studied the data on these high-performing groups across industries and identified the key leadership behaviors that drive sustained outperformance--from asking questions people often avoid to creating continuous feedback loops. Friedman is the author of the HBR article "How to Build a Superteam That Keeps Getting Better," and the book Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams.
SummaryTo Gain Customer—and Employee—Loyalty, Go Beyond Good Enough
Apr 1400:29:41Summary readyCompanies that spend their energy on incremental improvements to products, services, and even employee experience might just be spinning their wheels. Author Marcus Buckingham argues that data show that the only way to truly make an impact on performance is to make sure customers don't just like - but love - whatever you are selling them. He shares why extreme positive experiences are so important, companies that are getting it right, and how even the most basic products can inspire love and connection--with the right strategy. Buckingham is author of the HBR article "What Companies Can Learn from Their Biggest Fans" and the book Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business.
SummaryThe Case for Designing Work Around Circadian Rhythms
Apr 700:25:35Summary readyAre you a morning type, a night owl, or somewhere in between? And what about the people on your team? When do they feel most energized and productive? Stefan Volk, professor of management at the University of Sydney Business School, says that leaders need to pay more attention to their own and employees’ circadian rhythms because they have a big impact on performance. While forcing everyone into the same schedule can lead to conflict, mistakes, and burnout, carefully planning tasks around individual energy peaks enhances collaboration not only during overlaps but also when people are apart. He offers practical advice on how to get all chronotypes working well together. Volk is author of the HBR article "Tapping into Your Team's Circadian Rhythms."
SummaryStrategy Summit 2026: Who’s Going to Succeed with AI?
Apr 200:29:56Summary readyArtificial intelligence is advancing quickly, but its real impact on productivity, jobs, and competitive advantage is still uncertain. In this four-part special series, we'll share conversations from the recent HBR Strategy Summit to help you get ahead. In this episode, Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at MIT and cofounder and codirector of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy at the MIT Sloan School of Management, will explain why we’re in a moment where “nobody knows anything” about how AI will ultimately reshape business—and what leaders should do anyway. Plus, he argues cutting entry-level hiring because of AI could be a major long-term mistake. HBR editor at large Adi Ignatius contributes audience questions.
SummaryBuilding a Sustainability Strategy Around Customers
Mar 3100:32:03Summary readyFor sustainability to be a core part of your business model, you might need to rethink how and why you incorporate sustainable policies and products. That's according to IMD Business School professor Goutam Challagalla, who explains that many customers don't want to pay a premium for sustainability. Instead, he argues that good intentions around sustainability can often lead to weak strategy and wasted investment. He explains how instead, leaders should think about sustainability as a way to create innovation and truly drive customer value, by doing things like reducing inefficiencies and creating affordable products. Challagalla is coauthor, along with Frédéric Dalsace, of the book Clean Winners: Sustainability Strategy That Puts Customers First.
SummaryStrategy Summit 2026: Inventive Strategy and the ‘Unbossed’ Organization
Mar 2600:25:10Summary readyAs AI takes hold of the business world, is long-term competitive advantage a thing of the past? In this four-part special series, we'll share conversations from the recent HBR Strategy Summit to help you get ahead. In this episode, Columbia Business School professor Rita McGrath explains how she thinks companies must adapt when they can no longer depend on their competitive advantage lasting. She explains the most important strategic decision an organization can make today, and what it looks like to run an "unbossed" organization. HBR editor in chief Amy Bernstein contributes audience questions.
SummaryLearn to Disagree More Effectively
Mar 2400:31:28Summary readyDisagreement is essential to better decisions—but most of us either avoid it or handle it poorly. Julia Minson is a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and she's spent years studying disagreement and what we get wrong. She explains why intent matters less than behavior, how leaders can model “receptiveness,” and why the goal of a good disagreement isn’t to win—but to keep the conversation going. Minson is the coauthor of the HBR article "A Smarter Way to Disagree" and author of the book How to Disagree Better.
SummaryThe Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government
Mar 1700:21:52Summary readyAs the Trump administration continues to reshape the U.S. and global business landscape, many have been left wondering why CEOs and other business leaders aren't vocalizing their views. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld is a professor at the Yale School of Management and has conversations every day with leaders of some of the country's biggest companies. He explains how many leaders are navigating the current state of affairs in the U.S., explains examples of collective action that have gotten the Trump administration to change course, and whether he thinks organizations are adjusting to this "new normal."
SummaryStrategy Summit 2026: Why AI Transformation Needs a Human Touch
Mar 1200:30:46Summary readyAI needs to be central to any organization's strategy today, but many are still not implementing the technology in the most effective ways. In this four-part special series, we'll share conversations from the recent HBR Strategy Summit to help you get ahead. In this episode, HBR editor in chief Amy Bernstein speaks with Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient, a digital transformation company. Vaz explains that many enterprise-wide AI initiatives fail because incentives, talent strategies and a sense of trust aren't considered thoroughly enough. He shares lessons from his front row seat to AI transformations in the last few years, and how he thinks you can create real operational value at scale.
SummaryThe Hidden Causes of AI Workslop—and How to Fix Them
Mar 1000:28:50Summary readyAs organizations and their employees ramp up their generative AI experimentation, leaders are facing a new problem: the rise of AI-generated "workslop," which seems okay on the surface but doesn't actually pass muster and, when passed on to colleagues, ultimately hurts team efficiency, performance, trust and morale. Kate Niederhoffer, chief scientist at BetterUp, and Jeff Hancock, professor of communication at Stanford, say that while it's tempting to blame individuals for this kind of misuse of ChatGPT and other tools, management is more often that not contributing to the workslop epidemic by putting pressure on employees to produce more and to use AI when possible without offering clear training or guidelines. Niederhoffer and Hancock offer advice on how to stem the tide of workslop. They are coauthors of the HBR articles "AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity" and "Why People Create AI “Workslop”—and How to Stop It."
Summary