Strategy Summit 2026: Why AI Means Radical Change
In this HBR IdeaCast episode, Harvard Business School professor Sadal Neely explains why AI drives radical organizational change, introducing the "30% rule" that sets a baseline AI literacy for all employees. She outlines AI’s historical waves, distinguishes narrow (specific) AI from the still‑theoretical general AI, and highlights how AI creates value through scale, speed, scope, and a data‑driven flywheel. Real‑world case studies—from Moderna’s biotech agility to Domino’s tech‑first pizza model and Rakuten’s AI‑nization strategy—illustrate how companies achieve productivity gains, cost reductions, and new competitive dynamics. The discussion concludes with emerging AI agents and the operational foundations—integrated data, inventory, and supply‑chain systems—needed to capitalize on AI‑powered demand spikes.
Navigating the “Where to Play” Paradox: How Firms Decide Where to Grow Next
In this episode of Rattle and Pedal, hosts Jason Malicki and Jeff McKay explore the "Where to Play" paradox—how professional‑services firms decide which new markets or adjacencies to pursue. They identify drivers such as AI disruption, regulatory shifts, partner changes,...
Strategy Summit 2026: Why AI Transformation Needs a Human Touch
In this episode, HBR Editor‑in‑Chief Amy Bernstein talks with Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient, about why AI should be treated as an operating system rather than a mere tool. Vaz argues that AI reshapes decision‑making, speeds up strategy cycles,...
The New Leadership Structures that Unblock Innovation
In this episode, Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill discusses how leaders can build structures that continuously generate and scale innovation, emphasizing co‑creation, collaboration, and disciplined experimentation over visionary command. She debunks myths that innovation is driven by lone geniuses...
The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make when Rolling Out AI to Knowledge Teams
In this brief episode, host Jordan Cooney talks with Steve Wonker, Managing Director at New Markets Advisors, about the biggest mistake leaders make when rolling out AI to knowledge teams: launching without solid data and governance frameworks. They explain that...
772: How to Measure Your Meeting’s Success, with Rebecca Hinds
In this episode, host Dave Stachowiak talks with Rebecca Hinds, an expert on organizational behavior and author of *Your Best Meeting Ever*, about how to measure meeting effectiveness. They explore why meetings are often sabotaged, the pitfalls of relying solely...
Overcoming the Manufacturing Talent Shortage with Better Systems
In this episode of the MRP Easy Manufacturing Podcast, Sarah Duff, commercial director of Smart Manufacture, explains how small and mid‑size manufacturers can mitigate the current talent shortage by improving their systems rather than hiring more staff. She highlights that...
High-Performing Leadership Teams Are Built, Not Bought
In this episode of So What from BCG, Georgie Frost talks with Khadija Benhamada, former Chief of Staff and now Chief People Officer at Merck, and Judith Wallenstein, Global Leader of BCG’s CEO Advisory Practice, about how to deliberately build...
771: Fixing Fairness in the Workplace, with Lily Zheng
In this episode, host Dave Stachowiak talks with Lily Zheng, a strategist and author on systemic fairness, about why most Americans actually support diversity (82% in surveys) despite a perception that opinions are split. Zheng explains why typical DEI initiatives—single...
Why Most Projects Fail—And How to Achieve Better Outcomes
In this episode, Antonio Nieto‑Rodriguez explains why roughly two‑thirds of projects fail and outlines how organizations can improve outcomes. He emphasizes framing projects as strategic investments, aligning structures and incentives around a project‑centric model, and avoiding common pitfalls such as...
How to Buy Consulting in the Age of AI
In this inaugural episode, Elaine Lafitte explains why AI will not replace consulting procurement but can serve as a powerful sparring partner that structures information, surfaces hidden assumptions, and forces disciplined questioning. She highlights that buying consulting is fundamentally a...
Embedding Strategic Foresight Into Strategic Planning: A Conversation with Professor Bert George.
In this episode, host Michael J. Keegan talks with Professor Bert George about the fundamentals of strategic foresight and how it can be woven into an organization’s strategic planning and management processes. George explains the core concepts of foresight, the...
290. Tim Koller Reflects on Three Decades of Valuation at McKinsey
Tim Koller, co‑author of the seminal textbook *Valuation*, joins Andy West and Dago Diedrich to trace the book’s 30‑year journey from a simple three‑ring binder to a global standard for measuring corporate worth. He highlights enduring valuation principles—cash‑flow focus, risk‑adjusted...
Re-Engineering Construction Flow with Takt
In this episode, host Aarni Heiskanen interviews Aleksi Heinonen, a Finnish operations‑management consultant and lean‑construction thought leader, about the rise of Takt production in Finland’s building industry. Heinonen explains how defining a firm Takt time—sometimes years before ground‑break—revolutionized scheduling, logistics,...
The Secret to Managing Change Without Burning Out Your Employees
In this five‑minute episode, the host uses a pickleball ball‑feeding machine as a metaphor to illustrate the need for a steady cadence when implementing organizational change. He explains that bombarding teams with rapid, unpredictable shifts—like the machine’s erratic, high‑speed balls—leads...