Podcast
HBR On Leadership
Hosted by Harvard Business Review · EN
Leadership isn’t just a personality trait, it’s a set of skills that you can build. Whether you’re managing up or motivating a team, HBR On Leadership is your destination for insights and inspiration from the world’s top leadership practitioners and experts. Every Wednesday, the editors at the Harvard Business Review hand-picked case studies and conversations with global business leaders, management experts, academics, from across HBR to help you unlock the best in those around you.
102episodes
Episodes
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How to Develop Your Executive Presence
Feb 19, 202500:44:57Summary readyIf you’re a leader or aspire to be one, you’ve probably thought about how you project confidence and competence—or, what some call your executive presence. It’s as much a vibe you give off as it is a skill you can develop. And it’s important to exhibit if you want to assure others you’re ready to lead. Megan Bock, the COO of an insurance technology company, has mastered executive presence. And Laura Sicola is a cognitive linguist who coaches executives. In this episode, Bock and Sciola discuss the key elements of executive presence and offer advice to a listener who's trying to develop it while working remotely. Key episode topics include: public speaking, leadership qualities, gender, personal growth, remote work, leadership HBR On Leadership curates the best conversations and case studies 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: Executive Presence Find more episodes of Women at Work Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
SummaryHow CEO Ed Bastian Is Transforming DEI at Delta Air Lines
Feb 12, 202500:30:48Summary readyIn December 2020, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian and his leadership team were deciding whether or not to commit to recruiting, hiring, training, and advancing one million Black Americans into stable, well-paid jobs over the next decade, as part of the OneTen coalition. But if Delta joined, Bastian faced a key challenge: how could he make the airline truly inclusive and create systemically equal access to career opportunities? In this episode, Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill explains how Bastian shifted Delta’s talent architecture to prioritize skills over four-year degrees and how he created new apprenticeship programs to recruit entry-level employees. Hill studied Bastian’s efforts to transform Delta for a case study. She also explains why Bastian prioritized front-line employees for internal promotions, instead of recruiting new talent externally. Key episode topics include: leadership, hiring and recruitment, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, airline industry, talent, recruiting, career. 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: Building a More Equitable Culture at Delta Air Lines (2023)· Find more episodes of Cold Call· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
SummaryHow to Give Your Team the Feedback They Actually Need
Feb 5, 202500:23:56Summary readyHow does critical feedback affect your team’s success? Researchers Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall argue that many managers invest too much energy in correcting weaknesses. Instead, they encourage leaders to focus on developing employees’ strengths. Buckingham and Goodall are the authors of the book, Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World and the HBR article “The Feedback Fallacy” In this episode, they explain how to lead more effective conversations about performance by focusing on what your team members do best. Key episode topics include leadership, giving feedback, managing people, performance indicators. 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: What Managers Get Wrong About Feedback (2019) Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
SummaryHow to Make Better Decisions Under Pressure
Jan 29, 202500:28:14Summary readyMany people believe that leaders instinctively make the best decisions based on past experience, almost like muscle memory. But Carol Kauffman, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the founder of the Institute of Coaching, challenges this view. She explains why falling back on automatic behaviors can lead to poor decisions, especially when the stakes are high. In this episode, Kauffman outlines her framework for sound decision-making in high-pressure situations. She also shares real-life stories of leaders she has coached through difficult decisions and offers insights into how to navigate high-stakes challenges effectively. Key episode topics include: leadership, leadership styles, strategy, decision making and problem solving. 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: Why Leaders Should Rethink Their Decision-Making Process (2023) Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
SummaryHow to Get Leadership Succession Right
Jan 22, 202500:31:59Summary readyWhen Jason Buechel became CEO of Whole Foods in 2022, he faced the challenge of succeeding co-founder John Mackey, who led the company for over 40 years. This leadership transition was not only a personal challenge for Buechel but also a significant shift for the entire organization. In this episode, Buechel tells Harvard Business Review editor in chief Adi Ignatius how he addressed employees' concerns while preserving Whole Foods’ culture and core values. He also discusses his focus on internal leadership and strategies for supporting the company’s ongoing growth. Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, leadership transitions, succession planning, Whole Foods, authenticity, 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. · View to the original New World of Work episode: Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel on the Challenges and Opportunities of Following a Visionary Leader (2023)· 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
SummaryHow to Bridge Generational Gaps on Your Team
Jan 15, 2025Tap to summarizeAre you struggling to manage people who are older than you? Lindsey Pollak explains that cross-generational dynamics in the workplace are becoming increasingly complex, driven by rapid technological advancements and longer career spans. As a workplace expert and author of The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace, Pollak addresses listener questions about motivating older direct reports and engaging senior employees who may be skeptical about new technology. She also offers practical advice for navigating situations where you’ve been promoted ahead of more experienced colleagues. Key episode topics include: leadership, business communication, motivating people, age and generational issues, leading teams, leading across difference. 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: Managing Older Workers (2019) Find more episodes of Dear HBR. Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
Transcribe →5 Leadership Traits That Set High-Potential Employees Apart
Jan 8, 2025Tap to summarizeHow can you tell if you’re on your company’s leadership fast track? Jay Conger, a leadership professor at Claremont McKenna College, notes that many organizations quietly maintain and update lists of high-potential employees. In this episode, he offers advice for what to do if you suspect you’re on the list. In addition, Conger shares his research on the five critical “X factors” that distinguish high-potential employees. Discover what these traits are and how you can leverage them to enhance your career. Key episode topics include: leadership, career planning, developing employees, leadership development, talent management. 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: Does Your Firm See You as a High Potential? (2018) Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
Transcribe →The Questions Leaders Need to Be Asking Themselves
Dec 11, 2024Tap to summarizeWhat makes a leader truly effective? Is it about strategic vision, time management, confidence?Robert Steven Kaplan says the best leaders are exceptionally good at asking tough questions so they can make the right decisions. He is the author of the book What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential.He explains how to frame better questions to get the answers you need to make decisions. He also discusses how to use questions to clarify your key priorities and how to make sure you’re then spending your time in service of them. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing yourself, critical questions, decision-making, tough questions, analysis. 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: Key Questions for Leaders (2011)· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org
Transcribe →How to Cultivate Joy on Your Team
Dec 4, 2024Tap to summarizeAs CEO of Menlo Innovations, an enterprise software company based in Michigan, Sheridan deliberately focuses on cultivating joy in his company. His 2018 book, Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear, offers guidance for how to create joy at work — and why it’s so important for innovation. He explains the difference between joy and happiness and how to harness joy in service of a larger project. He also discusses how, as a leader, you can model joy for your team and why joy and a culture of fear are incompatible. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, 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. Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: How One CEO Creates Joy at Work (2018) Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast. Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
Transcribe →How to Repair a Broken Relationship at Work
Nov 27, 2024Tap to summarizeAre you stuck in a negative rut with someone at work? HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says repairing a broken professional relationship will improve your work life — whether it’s your boss, a coworker, or even your employee. In this episode, she breaks down the different types of relationship conflicts that are common at work and the steps you can take to move forward — starting with more empathy and less ego. Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, managing conflicts, 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. Watch the original HBR Guide episode: Fixing a Broken Relationship at Work (2024) 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.
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