Harvard Business Review

Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman Says Aiming for Sustainability Isn’t Enough. The Goal Is Much Higher

19 Nov 2021

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Paul Polman, who now chairs Imagine, challenges business leaders to ask themselves if they care about the world’s problems — and if they do, how far are they willing to push their companies to help solve them? HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius sat down with Polman, whose new book is "Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive By Giving More than They Take" (https://www.amazon.com/Net-Positive-Courageous-Companies-Thrive/dp/1647821304) to talk about: • How leaders can driv...

How Amazon Really Empowers Its Employees

6 May 2025

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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says employees should own more “two-way door decisions"—the kind you can walk back. Hear more on our latest IdeaCast episode: https://s.hbr.org/4d1lOp2

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Identity Crisis: Why Defining Yourself by Your Career Is a Problem

17 Sep 2024

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One way to develop a healthier relationship with your career may be to visualize its end. “The party’s going to finish,” says HBS Professor and co-author (with Oprah Winfrey) of "Build the Life You Want" Arthur C. Brooks. Here are some steps you can take to mentally and emotionally prepare for the inevitable. 00:00 People in business play their own form of identity politics 01:00 Identities based on fear (of death) 01:50 What to do: a death meditation 03:30 A 9-part meditation you can tr...

Research: When Extra Effort Makes You Worse at Your Job

23 Jul 2025

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Trying to improve how you work can boost progress—but research shows it also drains mental energy. Here’s how to manage that cost. Read the full article here: https://s.hbr.org/4m8J2gx

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How Do I Work with a Difficult Boss? | Coaching Real Leaders

28 Jun 2023

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He’s a mission driven leader who has always found roles where he can help others. He was brought in at a high level at a new organization, but he’s feeling tension and conflict with the organization’s founder. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches him through how to manage himself in this negative work dynamic. Further reading: - Founder’s Syndrome Can Take Down a Nonprofit. Here’s How To Avoid It: https://www.joangarry.com/founder-syndrome/ - Make Sure Your Work...

Malcolm Gladwell on the Tipping Point for Changing Team Dynamics

10 Oct 2024

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In our latest IdeaCast episode, Malcolm Gladwell explains the ‘magic third’ concept, emphasizing the importance of having a sufficient number of minority members in groups to ensure they can fully contribute and be themselves. The concept is based on insights from Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Kanter’s research. Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode here: https://s.hbr.org/3YkeZcH @https://www.youtube.com/@PushkinPods/shorts @https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiFad3ywc8c5IO-B3bBqqLQ

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How McKinsey Plans to Survive AI (and Reinvent Consulting)

9 Feb 2026

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How does a storied consulting firm reflect on its history while forging a path ahead in uncertain times? In this episode of HBR IdeaCast, McKinsey Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels speaks with host Adi Ignatius about the controversies that have ignited change at the large consulting firm, how exactly they are reorganizing human talent in an age of AI, and what business models he thinks will be most successful as the industry shifts. #McKinsey #Consulting #artificialintelligence #AI Books, tools, and more: store...

What It's Like to Make TikToks for a Living | Career Crush

8 Jul 2021

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𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮! ✨ https://www.youtube.com/c/HBRAscend ✨ I can watch TikToks for hours. I’ve even made a few. But what is it like to make them for a living? 00:00 I want to make TikToks for a living 00:40 Meet Dave Jorgenson 02:00 How do you keep this up everyday? 02:39 Does the editor-in-chief approve the TikToks? 03:49 A different path for comedy 04:26 Learning production in college 06:21 "Creative Video Producer" 07:19 Pitching TikTok to The Washington Post 08:00 TikTok hasn't gotten old yet 09:00 Turning your job into something you want Dave Jorgenson, the “Washington Post TikTok Guy,” sha...

When your child is struggling—whether it’s with anxiety, anger management, or depression—focusing on anything other than how they’re doing can be difficult to nearly impossible. Yet so many parents are straining day after day to support their children while trying to keep up at work. And so many lack enough flexibility, understanding, and paid time off from their employer to take care of everything they need to do, from finding their children a therapist to taking them to appointments.

What can mothers, managers, and leaders do to make work more manageable? The executive director...

How to Get Out of a Creative Rut | Christine vs. Work

29 Jun 2021

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𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮! ✨ https://www.youtube.com/c/HBRAscend ✨ Ever feel like your brain has run out of ideas? Here’s how to break out of a creative rut. Feeling blocked isn’t just a problem for “creative” types. Many jobs require a healthy dose of fresh thinking and new ideas, and it doesn’t feel good to hit that mental wall. Innovation Editor Christine Liu talks to Sonja Rasula, CEO and founder of Unique Markets, about how to break out of creative ruts, how to approach (and accept) them when they happen, and what you can do to...

What's Stopping Innovation in Tech?

5 Jun 2025

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Is the tech industry poised for systemic change? Telle Whitney argues it can be more successful by being more inclusive and changing the status quo. 🎧 Listen to the IdeaCast episode here: https://s.hbr.org/3SkRAUH

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U.S. Soccer's Gregg Berhalter on Rebuilding Trust in the Wake of Controversy

6 Jan 2023

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Gregg Berhalter coached the U.S. men's soccer team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they achieved a memorable victory over Iran before losing to the Netherlands. Berhalter, who was a professional soccer player himself for 17 years, has coached in Europe and the U.S., and for the past four years, he’s been the head coach of the U.S. national team. In the past couple of weeks, he's been under another kind of spotlight. Berhalter's decision to...

8 Email Etiquette Tips - How to Write Better Emails at Work

7 Jul 2021

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Learning the unspoken rules for writing professional emails can improve how competent you appear in the eyes of colleagues. 00:00 Why bother with email etiquette? 01:19 Include CTA in subject line 02:13 One email thread per topic 02:48 Manage recipients 03:27 Start with the main point 04:30 Summarize in your reply 05:10 Hyperlink whenever possible 05:38 Change default setting to "Reply" (not "Reply all") 06:06 Change undo send options In this HBR collaboration with YouTube creator Jeff Su (https://www.youtube.com/c/JeffSu), you'll learn how to better...

#HBRLive: Using Empathy to Create Products People Love

18 Nov 2014

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HBR senior editor Jeff Kehoe talks with Jon Kolko, founder and Director of the Austin Center for Design, and VP of Consumer Design at Blackboard, Inc. They’ll discuss the need to redefine design thinking, as well as concrete methods for creating emotional appeal in new products, and the companies that are doing this well.    Tune in on Tuesday 11/18 at 12PM EST, and make sure to leave any questions in the comments. You can also check out Kolko's book here: https://hbr.org/prod...

Why Taylor Swift's Podcast Surprise Is a Masterclass in Marketing

15 Aug 2025

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Taylor Swift turned a single announcement into a global moment. Here’s what business leaders can learn from her surprise album reveal. For more insights, explore Kevin's book 'There's Nothing Like This' here: https://s.hbr.org/3F5rOjK

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How to Build Your Own AI Assistant

8 Jul 2025

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Data journalist Alexandra Samuel shows how anyone can create a custom AI assistant in five easy steps. Read the full article here: https://s.hbr.org/46v9JXR Prefer audio? Listen to our newest IdeaCast episode with Alex for a deeper dive: https://s.hbr.org/4lNiZeB

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Tom Brady’s 7 Key Behaviors for Great Team Leadership

15 Aug 2024

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Ever wondered what made football legend Tom Brady a great leader? In a new HBR article, Brady and former Harvard Business School dean Nitin Nohria explore his top seven team leadership tips. From putting the team first to connecting outside the office, it’s all about elevating those around you. Read it here: https://hbr.org/2024/09/tom-brady-on-the-art-of-leading-teammates Books, tools, and more: store.hbr.org Follow us: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/ https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com...

Power: What It Is, How to Get It, and What to Do with It

1 Oct 2024

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For many, power is a taboo topic. Jennifer Jordan, professor of leadership and organizational behavior at IMD Business School, argues it's important to acknowledge our discomforts while also realizing that power, ethically used, can be a force for good. She provides insights into innate, primary, and secondary bases of power, offering strategies for auditing your own power within a system and leveraging it for leadership and influence. 00:00 Two primary types of power 00:48 Why is the topic taboo? 01:58...

Four-day Workweeks and 8 Other Trends That May Shape 2024 and Beyond

15 Feb 2024

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In 2023, organizations continued to face significant challenges, from inflation to geopolitical turmoil to controversy over DEI and return-to-work policies — and 2024 promises more disruption. Gartner researchers have identified nine key trends, from new and creative employee benefits to the collapse of traditional career paths, that will impact work this year. Employers who successfully navigate these will retain top talent and secure a competitive advantage for themselves. More details on these trends: https://hbr.org/2024/01/9-trends-that-will-shape-work-in-2024-and-beyond 00:00 Are you and your team ready fo...

Cirque du Soleil's Daniel Lamarre on How to Put Creativity at the Center of Your Strategy

12 May 2022

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“There is no excuse. Creativity has to be at the forefront.” If you don't do that, one day you will wake up and discover your competitors have an edge on you, and then you're in trouble. Daniel Lamarre is the executive vice chairman of Cirque du Soleil, a position he took after serving for nearly two decades as the circus and entertainment company's president and CEO. He is the author of, Balancing Acts: Unleashing the Powe...

How To Be Less Distracted at Work – and in Life | HBR IdeaCast

22 Mar 2023

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Nir Eyal, an expert on technology and psychology, says that we all need to learn to be less distracted into activities that don’t help us achieve what we want to each day. Unwelcome behaviors can range from social media scrolling and bingeing on YouTube videos to chatting with colleagues or answering non-urgent emails. To break these habits, we start by recognizing that it is often our own emotions, not our devices, that distract us. We must then recognize the...

How Do I Ask for Help? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast

14 Dec 2022

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She’s carved out a unique role for herself, which she loves, but worries that the pace of work is unsustainable. As she thinks about the next step in her career, she realizes that it will require her to lean on the help of others — something she’s not used to doing. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to get the support she needs to move forward in her career. Further reading: • To Take Charge of Your Career, Start by Building...

How to Prioritize Your Work When Your Manager Doesn’t

12 Dec 2022

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Prioritizing work can be frustrating, especially if you work for a hands-off manager or a company that doesn’t give you clear goals. In a world where conflicting and unclear priorities are the norm, how can you learn to prioritize your own work and still feel satisfaction from a job well done? 00:00 Research shows that more than 90% of employees don’t fully understand their company’s strategy. What can you do? 00:45 Step 1: Take ownership 01:12 Step 2: Filter priorities 02:03 Step 3: Determine next steps with an o...

Helpful vs. Unhelpful Ways to Give Feedback

16 May 2024

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We learn most when someone else pays attention to what’s working within us and asks us to cultivate it. So when giving feedback, focus on what someone is doing well, and if you need to give be critical, make sure you’re specific and highlight your experience of the events. — Adapted from “The Feedback Fallacy,” by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. #feedback #jobadvice #management

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The Culture of Overwork Hurts Everyone (Quick Study)

26 Mar 2020

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The standard work/family narrative is an outdated excuse for what holds women back. Ask people to explain why women remain so dramatically underrepresented in the senior ranks of most companies, and you will hear from the vast majority a lament that goes something like this: High-level jobs require extremely long hours, women’s devotion to family makes it impossible to put in those hours, and so their careers inevitably suffer. Not so, say the authors, who spent 18 months working with a global co...

What Leaders Must Do Today to Address Systemic Racism

4 Jun 2020

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How do we start real conversations about race in our organizations? This video was recorded live on June 3, 2020. Research shows that how organizations respond to large-scale, diversity-related events can either help employees feel psychologically safe — or contribute to racial identity threat and mistrust of authority. Laura Morgan Roberts is professor of practice at the Darden School of Business and co-editor of "Race, Work, and Leadership," a book about what organizations to can do to eliminate systemic racism. She discusses how various companies ar...

How Do I Improve the Role I Have? (HBR Podcast)

5 May 2022

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Part three of our four-part special series, Find Joy in Any Job, with Marcus Buckingham on how to design your work to focus on what you love. A lot of us are feeling unhappy and disengaged at work – and that started long before the pandemic. A big part of the problem, says Marcus Buckingham, is that we don’t take the initiative to do more of the tasks that we truly love. After identifying what most energizes and excites you about your...

Does Virtual Presence Still Matter at Work? | Christine vs. Work

6 Apr 2021

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𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮! ✨ https://www.youtube.com/c/HBRAscend ✨ After a year of remote working and spending most of our waking hours glued to video calls, what have we learned? Many of us have been working (and living) from home for over a year, and our days are spent being camera ready for video calls and virtual events. We’ve been doing this so long that “Zoom fatigue” is all too familiar. At this point, does virtual presence still matter? In this episode, Christine speaks with returning guest expert Rachel Cossar, a former Boston Ballet dan...

How to Get Good at Small Talk, and Even Enjoy It

6 Oct 2023

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Even if you don’t think you’re a natural (or you hate it), anyone can become proficient at this important art using the right tactics and behaviors. 00:00 “Small talk” is a misnomer for such an important part of communication. 01:07 Establish appropriate goals. 01:52 Give yourself permission to pause. 03:35 What if you feel like you have nothing smart to say? 04:24 What if I make a mistake or say something dumb? 05:09 What if my problem is that I have too much to say? 06...

Finance: What Managers Need to Know

9 Sep 2009

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Joe Knight, coauthor of the Financial Intelligence series, gives you a crash course in reading the numbers.

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What Is Strategy? It’s a Lot Simpler Than You Think

23 Feb 2022

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To many people, strategy is a total mystery. But it’s really not complicated, says Harvard Business School’s Felix Oberholzer-Gee, author of "Better, Simpler Strategy". 00:00 To many people, strategy is a mystery. 00:25 Strategy does not start with a focus on profit. 00:52 It's about creating value. 01:00 There's a simple tool to help visualize the value you create: the value stick. 01:30 What is willingness-to-pay? 02:30 What is willingness-to-sell? 03:14 Remind me: Where does profit come in again? 03:48 How do I raise willingness-to-pay? 05:00 And how do...

Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want

4 Jan 2024

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Seven questions can clarify what really matters to you and help you build your own life strategy, according to BCG’s Rainer Strack. 00:00 Summarizing a life strategy on a single page 00:20 Where did this idea come from? 00:54 What is a life strategy? 02:41 How do I define a great life? 04:15 How do I assess my life portfolio? 07:40 What portfolio choices can I make? 09:20 Where do I go from here? For more details on all seven questions and designing your own life strategy, read th...

The Outlook for Global Business

1 Jul 2020

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When will we see economic recovery? This video was recorded live on June 30, 2020. IMF head Kristalina Georgieva discusses the outlook for global business and helps identify which economies could recover most quickly.

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The Art of Persuasion Hasn’t Changed in 2,000 Years

9 Mar 2022

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To successfully sell your next idea, try using these five rhetorical devices that Aristotle identified in your next speech or presentation. 00:00 More than 2,000 years ago Aristotle outlined a formula on how to become a master of persuasion 00:42 Aristotle's five rhetorical devices 00:57 Ethos (Character) 01:48 Logos (Reason) 02:08 Pathos (Emotion() 02:50 Metaphor 03:27 Brevity More than 2,000 years ago Aristotle outlined a formula on how to become a master of persuasion in his work Rhetoric. The first device is ethos or “character.” In order for your audience to trust...

Easy Networking Tips for the Networking Haters

4 Jan 2023

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Networking doesn’t have to be scary or hard. 00:00 Networking can feel frightening and embarrassing. But it doesn't have to. 00:30 Tip 1: Look for islands. 00:58 Tip 2: Networking doesn't have to involve meeting new people. 01:35 Tip 3: Turn networking into a game. 02:02 Tip 4: Don't stress yourself with preparing for small talk. Based on the HBR/Ascend article by Amantha Imber: https://hbr.org/2021/10/easy-networking-tips-for-the-networking-haters This video is co-produced with @Emeritus. You can find more co-productions from HBR and Emeritus on the Emeritus app: https://emrt.us/HarvardBusinessReview Fo...

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

6 May 2025

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A conversation with the head of Amazon on their competitive advantage in an age of uncertainty. From HBR's IdeaCast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 00:00 - Startup mindset at scale 01:30 - Key traits of a startup culture 03:10 - Speed and reducing bureaucracy 05:00 - Rethinking management and ownership 07:00 - Why Amazon brought people back to the office 09:00 - In-person collaboration vs. remote work 11:30 - Advice for cutting complexity in large organizations 13:30 - AI strategy and Amazon’s tech st...

Social Intelligence and Leadership

11 Aug 2008

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An interview with Daniel Goleman, Psychologist. See how you can use emotional and social intelligence to improve your own and your organization's performance.

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What does it really take to turn around a company in the middle of massive disruption? In this episode of HBR IdeaCast, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman explains how he approached the challenge of leading the company into the AI age. He shares why putting customers—not engineering—at the center of the business required a fundamental shift in culture, how leaders can prepare employees for an AI-native future, and why successful transformation depends on reskilling people while being honest about the disruption ahead.

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Brain Wearables Will Know When Workers Are Losing Focus

14 Mar 2023

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The era of brain surveillance has begun, and it’s not a fad. It’s a new way of living and thinking about ourselves and our well-being—personally and professionally. Companies need to balance the risks to employees with the benefits of using neurotech devices in the workplace, says Nita Farahany, Professor of Law and Philosophy at Duke University. Read more on this at HBR.org: https://hbr.org/2023/03/neurotech-at-work Farahany is the author of “The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to...

Managing Working Parents During the Pandemic | HBR IdeaCast

15 Mar 2023

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Ellen Ernst Kossek, management professor at Purdue University, is researching how the pandemic is putting an enormous strain on working parents and the new challenge that poses for their managers. She shares how supervisors can offer much-needed consistency and predictability for working parents on their teams. She also outlines specific ways to give working parents more flexibility while still holding them accountable. Kossek is the coauthor, with Kelly Schwind Wilson and Lindsay Mechem Rosokha, of the HBR article “What Working Parents Need from Th...