HBR IdeaCast

Ray Dalio on Economic Trends, Investing, and Making Decisions Amid Uncertainty

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Over the years, investor Ray Dalio built his hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, into one of the largest in the world. He's done that in part by under...

What You Need to Know About Executive Recruiting

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Professional search firms play a big role in discovering and choosing leaders for senior roles. That’s why anyone with C-suite ambitions needs to un...

Where McKinsey—and Consulting—Go From Here

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How does an organization with 100 years of history stay relevant, adaptable, and forward-looking? Bob Sternfels, who runs McKinsey & Company as the Gl...

How to Manage—and Motivate—Gen Z

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How different is the newest generation in the workforce, really? While stereotypes abound — some of them unfair — it’s important to understand w...

What Leaders Can Learn from a Formula 1 Turnaround

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to rebuild a legendary brand, lead through failure, and win on the world’s most competitive stage? Zac Brown, CEO of McLaren Racin...

Why Great Leaders Focus on the Details

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Senior executives are often told to focus on big-picture strategy while delegating the specifics of execution. But, according to Scott Cook, cofounder...

Future of Business: Mars CEO on How Business Can Be a Force for Good

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it look like for a business in 2025 to build a strategy around sustainability? In this Future of Business series, IdeaCast hosts Alison Bear...

Moving Beyond the Slow, Hierarchical Organization

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most companies say they want to be more innovative, agile, and customer-centric. But in reality, many still operate like 20th-century factories: hiera...

Future of Business: Moderna’s Founder on Innovation That Breaks Through

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are CEOs across industries doing to build resilience and strong cultures in an age of uncertainty? In this Future of Business series, IdeaCast ho...

Could Your Company Benefit from Fastvertising?

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's harder than ever for companies to get their marketing messages in front of the right customers. One increasingly popular -- but also risky -- tac...

Purpose-Driven Leadership in an Era of Polarization

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Even in difficult times, leadership must be about empathy, authenticity, fairness and service. That's according to Darren Walker, the outgoing CEO of ...

Future of Business: Walmart’s CEO on AI, Jobs, and Managing Rapid Change

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In uncertain times, leaders at all levels can learn from what the world's best CEOs are doing to protect themselves and forge a path ahead. In this Fu...

Why Business Leaders Need Political Diplomacy Skills Now

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Geopolitics are no longer a tailwind for businesses today, opening markets and boosting global trade. Instead, argues ESSEC Business School associate ...

Future of Business: Standard Bank’s CEO on Driving Sustainable Growth and Shared Prosperity

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In uncertain times, leaders at all levels can learn from what the world's leading CEOs are doing to protect their companies from risk and forge a path...

Brené Brown on Being a Steady Leader in Tumultuous Times

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership takes daring and steadfastness even in the best of times. In eras of shaky political, economic, and social stability, researcher and author...

Arthur C. Brooks on How Leaders Can Be Happier

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It isn't always easy to feel like you can have it all: career, family, hobbies and inner peace. Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks studies happiness a...

Wikipedia Cofounder Jimmy Wales on How to Build Trust

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When Wikipedia was founded in 2001, the idea that people around the world could come together to create an accurate online encyclopedia covering virtu...

What’s Holding You Back from Being a Great Leader?

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you hit a roadblock in your career, it's easy to blame external factors like the economy, the organization, or your boss. But leaders are just as...

20 Years of Freakonomics: How It Changed Business

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When it first came out in 2005, Freakonomics unearthed the hidden side to everything, helping bring behavioral economics to the forefront of popular c...

Jimmy Fallon and Bozoma Saint John on What It Takes for People, Products, and Brands to Break Through

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a crowded media and marketing environment, it can be hard to catch the attention and imagination of consumers. Two people paying close attention to...

The Trouble with Tech Companies (and Their Strategies)

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cory Doctorow, author and digital rights advocate, argues that big tech companies from Facebook to Google and beyond have evolved - or devolved - in a...

How to Lead with Courage in Chaotic Times

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Courage involves taking bold action despite uncertainty and fear. In a volatile business environment, it's hard to be brave. But Ranjay Gulati, a prof...

Steven Pinker on Speculation Bubbles, Super Bowl Ads, and What Leaders Need to Know About Group Psychology

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a leader, psychology is fundamental to your success - whether that means understanding consumer behavior, team dynamics, or even your own biases an...

Supercharging Innovation with “Flash Teams”

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Across industries, organizations are struggling to move as quickly as they need to on key priorities and new initiatives. The solution for many, says ...

When Fake News Targets Your Company

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 politica...

Why It’s So Hard to Delegate — and How to Improve

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ti...

The Kinds of Humor That Help Leaders Build Trust

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, yo...

How to Bring More Rigor to Your Long-Term Thinking

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amid great economic, political, and technological change, it can feel impossible to predict what might happen next. Nick Foster, a futurist and design...

Are You Considering Chinese AI In Your Strategy?

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Bu...

Are You Optimizing Your Virtual Communication Practices?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether your organization encourages working from home or the office, much of your business is no doubt conducted virtually — over email, on ...

What We Know About Leading with Intuition

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Finding Joy When You Have Limited Free Time

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 f...

Have You Built Up Your Conflict Intelligence?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

How to Build an AI Assistant for Any Challenge

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might have your teams and organization implementing new AI tools, but how much have you experimented with them yourself? Alexandra Samuel is a tec...

Larry Summers: ‘Smart Businesses Are Going to Maintain Flexibility’

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard University, has seen the ups and downs of the American economy t...

Moms Demand Action Founder on What It Takes to Lead Change

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 le...

How to Get Out of the Hybrid Work Rut

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 compan...

Lessons in Leading Through Crisis From Jacinda Ardern

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As prime minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, Jacinda Ardern managed one challenge after another: from natural disasters to a terrorist attac...

What Leaders Get Wrong About Listening

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Listening well is an essential aspect of leadership - not just to maintain good relationships with employees, but to drive real business improvements ...

Does the Tech Industry Need a Reboot?

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Although we’ve seen great successes come out of the technology sector in recent decades, many critics — and even some insiders — say it’...

The Secrets Behind Barry Diller’s Business Success

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To achieve long-term success in tumultuous businesses like media and entertainment, following formulas and data won't get you there. Barry Diller, the...

Unexpectedly Out of a Job? Here’s How to Bounce Back

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a period of increasing political and economic uncertainty, government funding cuts, and AI that can outperform humans, many people are rightly worr...

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Agility, AI Strategy, and the Changing Role of Managers

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Introducing a New Era of HBR IdeaCast

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 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 pr...

The Growth of the Private-Sector Space Industry

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many industries depend on the government to finance infrastructure and research before a true private market can develop. In the case of space, there ...

How Immigrant Entrepreneurs Build Lasting Businesses

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Choba...

The Conversations You Should Be Having with Your Manager

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As you advance in your career, you develop the skills to lead teams and manage direct reports. But no matter your role or seniority, you’ll always n...

What All Leaders Can Learn from Taylor Swift

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, no one can deny her success as both a music star and businesswoman. Her career has been a masterclass in ...

Navigating the Hybrid Work Dilemma

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many organizational leaders believe remote work is here to stay. Others are requiring employees return to the workplace. But Prithriwaj “Raj” Cho...

The Keys to Great Conversation

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether we’re interacting with colleagues, clients, friends, family members or strangers, conversations are the way most of us build — or break ...

When Sales Incentives Backfire

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sales commissions act as a crucial lever to increase revenue and customers. But sometimes those incentives bring unintended consequences. New research...

Are You an Inspirational Leader?

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to really energize people and motivate them toward a goal?  Inspirational leadership might seem idiosyncratic and hard to quantify,...

Stop Multitasking and Try Timeboxing

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are all kinds of productivity tools out there promising to help you make the most of your day. Some people swear by timeboxing: the method of re...

How Leaders Can Encourage Learning

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In an age of rapidly changing technology, it’s more important than ever for organizations to effectively support employee learning. Gianpiero Pe...

The Consumer Psychology of Adopting AI

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite all the ways that artificial intelligence promises to improve our lives, many consumers feel anxious and are averse to AI-powered products and...

If DEI Programs Aren’t Effective, What Is?

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amid the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States and elsewhere, leaders in both the public and privat...

What the EV Industry’s Challenges Reveal About Innovation and Regulation

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many consumers are buying electric vehicles, thanks to sportscar-like performance, government incentives, and personal motivations to minimize climate...

Employment Is Changing Forever

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As organizations and workers face a new wave of technological change, Deborah Perry Piscione argues that we're at a pivot point where old models of ...

To Fix Broken Work Systems, You Need to Reset

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever tried to change things at work, you know the headwinds you face. Teams and processes are often trapped in longstanding, ineffective pat...

How to Get Better at Saying No

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our families, schools, and workplaces often train us to comply: taking on additional work when asked, agreeing with the group's consensus, and going a...

Dealing with Perfectionism

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

High standards, attention to detail, and self-control are invaluable qualities at work. They’re also aspects of perfectionism, something to which ma...

How To Enhance Your Leadership with “Personal Power”

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know the stereotypes of leaders who use charisma, manipulation, domineering behavior, or their status in the hierarchy to exert control. But th...

Best of IdeaCast: To Build Stronger Teams, Ask Better Questions

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Asking questions is a powerful way to build trust, exchange ideas, and unlock value in organizations. And it is a skill that can be honed to make work...

The Case for Selling Products that Adapt

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many companies make money by selling goods that need to be constantly replaced; think fast fashion, or tech devices that come out in new versions each...

A Hollywood Producer’s Formula for Taking Bigger Risks

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood is known for huge personalities and behemoth production studios taking big swings. But critics worry that the movie industry is playing it w...

Boost Your Creativity in Any Job

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that innovative thinking is vital to individual, team, and organizational success. But we still often put creativity in a box, assuming it...

Tried-and-True Networking Tips from Decades of Experience

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty-five years ago, a Harvard Business School case study featured the exceptional networking practices of Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture c...

Future of Business: Palo Alto Networks’ Nikesh Arora on Managing Risk in the Age of AI

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Palo Alto Networks is the leading global cybersecurity company. Over his six-year tenure there, CEO Nikesh Arora has expanded and reorganized the orga...

10 Gems from IdeaCast’s First 1,000 Episodes

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks a huge milestone for the HBR IdeaCast: our 1000th episode! Since the podcast launched in 2006, so much has happened. What hasn’t cha...

Future of Business: Baidu’s Robin Li on the Technology Trends that Will Transform Business

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Baidu launched in 2000 as a search engine platform. Two decades later, it’s become one of the few companies in the world that offers a full AI stack...

The Growing Trend of Part-Time Executives

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you’re leading a small organization, but you’re struggling to recruit and afford the senior talent you need to grow. You could hire a part...

Future of Business: SAIC’s Toni Townes-Whitley on Leading Strategic Transformation

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With more than $7 billion in annual revenue and 24,000 employees, SAIC provides engineering, digital, AI, and mission support to defense, space, intel...

Unifying Leadership in a Divided Time

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Around the world, the past few years have been marked by increasing political polarization and public outrage. Like it or not, this spills over into t...

Future of Business: Reid Hoffman on Managing Technological Change and Innovation

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Reid Hoffman is one of the most prominent and recognizable voices in Silicon Valley, and after predicting some of the biggest trends that have shaped ...

Turn Employee Feedback into Real Results

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We live in an age of data. But having powerful tools to gather employee feedback doesn't mean you’ll get powerful results. It’s challenging for ex...

The Real Reasons Employees Quit — and How to Retain Them

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unwelcome employee turnover can create big problems for managers, teams, and organizations, so it's important to understand the real drivers of attrit...

Here’s How Managers Can Rediscover Their Joy at Work

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Managing is a tough job, sometimes a seemingly thankless one where you can feel squeezed from all sides. But for team leaders who are feeling burnt ou...

Malcolm Gladwell’s New Take on Tipping Points

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There was a time when business leaders and managers didn't worry so much about psychology or other social science research. Malcolm Gladwell's writing...

Why AI Isn’t Enough To Beat The Competition

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence right now, hoping to improve both efficiency and innovation. But, as with any technolo...

How Tribalism Can Actually Strengthen Workplace Culture

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a world that seems more divisive and polarized than ever, and it’s common to describe this phenomenon as tribalism. But Michael Morris, p...

What We Can Learn from Great Political Speakers

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The worlds of business and politics might seem worlds apart, but executives can learn a lot from the most successful political communicators. Te...

Training Your Brain to Work More Effectively

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if the key to efficiency in a world increasingly powered by AI wasn't quantity, but quality? Neuroscientist Mithu Storoni has looked at how and w...

The AI Skills You Should Be Building Now

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Generative artificial intelligence is here to stay, and that means employees and managers need to think even more carefully about how to make the most...

Dysfunctional Leadership Teams — and How to Fix Them

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

CEOs get a ton of credit or blame for a company’s performance. But the entire leadership team is vital to success, and any dysfunction is often over...

Lessons from a Turnaround Expert

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When a company, division, or product line has been struggling for some time, it can feel nearly impossible to get things back on track. But big turnar...

Is Your Company Reading Data the Wrong Way?

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We live in an age where we have more data than ever. But most leaders have two strong reactions to new data. Either they rely too heavily on studies o...

What to Do When You’re Overlooked

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you the sort of person who works really hard, hits your deadlines, runs successful projects, wins over clients... but never seems to get noticed f...

The Right Way to Manage Emotions on Your Team

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many managers don't know what to say when a team member appears angry, frustrated, or sad. They might even feel it is unprofessional to acknowledge th...

An Astronaut’s Advice on High-Stakes Collaboration

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's hard to imagine a more challenging work environment than the International Space Station. During her 24 years as a NASA astronaut, including a ...

Trying to Persuade and Other Big Mistakes Marketers Make

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many marketers today focus on getting consumers to consciously change their behavior. But that’s a sure path to failure, according to Leslie Zane, f...

Is People-Pleasing Holding You Back?

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There's a fine line between pitching in to help your team and taking on too much at the expense of your mental health and performance. Author and coac...

Why We Should Pay More Attention to Departing CEOs

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When news breaks of a CEO succession, much of the attention is given to the new leader and how they will change the company. But new research shows th...

Darius Rucker on Resilience and Reinvention

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Darius Rucker has reached the top of the music charts in not just one but two genres: first as the lead singer of the 1990s band Hootie and th...

When Your Employee Is Underperforming

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many managers struggle with initiating difficult conversations around an individual’s subpar performance. Often, leaders wait way too long to sit do...

Why Managers Play Favorites – and How They Can Change

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While most good bosses try to be fair and balanced with their direct reports, it's only human to prefer the company and work styles of some team membe...

Tech at Work: The Future of Spatial Computing

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make t...

Yum! Brands’ Former CEO on Why You Should Never Stop Learning

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After 15 years leading the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, David Novak wanted to help others become better leaders. He believes the k...

Why You Need to Stress Test Your Strategies (and Tactics)

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While many teams and organizations engage in scenario planning, most don't go far enough. Arjan Singh, consultant and adjunct professor at Southern...

Tech at Work: How to Get the Most Out of Digital Collaboration Tools

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Managing technology has never been more challenging. HBR IdeaCast’s new special series, Tech at Work, offers research, stories, and advice to make t...

What Venture Capitalists Can Teach Companies About Decision-Making

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Venture capital firms notoriously embrace risk and take big swings, hoping that one startup will become a monster hit that pays for many other failed ...