Leaders can’t surpass the achievements of the past by sticking to the ways of the past. They must continuously challenge the status quo to inspire teams to break new ground and achieve new possibilities. Few organizations embody this approach to leadership as well as NASA. In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with NASA’s Chief Flight Director, Holly Ridings about how to build a diverse culture of collaboration, innovation, and disruption. She also discusses how to lead through...

We don’t often think about common ground as a forum for disagreement. But the most productive discourse often requires first identifying a shared set of goals, facts, or ideas. How can today’s leaders help build an environment of mutual understanding, respect, and productive disagreement in an increasingly divisive world? What role do technology and the internet play in helping people find and create common ground?  In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with two digital strategists...

For most leaders, failure is not a matter of life or death. But for some, making life-or-death decisions is part of the job. What can high-risk decision-making teach us about the more ordinary and conventional risk leaders assume every day? What roles do preparation and instinct play in this process? How can leaders become better at conquering a fear of failure in order to make hard decisions? In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks about risk and high-stake decision-making with two...

Today’s shifting economic and political landscape is reshaping the American labor market. But amid all of the change is an opportunity to create a better workforce for the future. What are the forces at play in our current labor market? How will these changes impact employees in the long term? What role should leaders play in creating a workforce that puts its people first? This week, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with two experts about the new administration’s economic policy agenda. Noah...

In a world of specialists, a generalist’s broad range of knowledge and expertise can actually make his or her team much better. But, being a generalist requires grit and courage. The courage to raise your hand, to take chances, and to be confident in your ability to tackle any subject. However, in a world that most often rewards specialists, where and how can generalists shine? What benefits and learnings can leaders draw from focusing on generalization, versus specialization? This week,...

Today, business leaders have the power to create positive change. Not just within their organizations, but in society and in the world more broadly. In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with Reverend Cornell William Brooks, former head of the NAACP and the Professor of Practice and Public Leadership and Social Justice at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Mohamad Ali, CEO of International Data Group, about the challenges and opportunities of corporations in the wake of COVID-19, profound...

To lead is to exercise power. And to do it well, one must have expertise and character. Perhaps no one understands this better than the President of the United States of America. What can we learn from the Presidency about how to use power – and when? In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with John Dickerson, Chief Political Analyst at CBS News, about what it takes to wield the power of the Presidency. John has reported on the presidency for over 30 years. He has reported for Slate,...

Great leaders have the insight to see what the right thing to do is, the skill to do it, and the courage to do it even when it is hard. When those three things come together, the impact a great leader can have and the number of lives they can touch are vast. In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks with two phenomenal leaders who have completely upended, transformed, and positively impacted the culture of their respective organizations. As CEO of Anglo American, Cynthia Carroll was the...

Imagine determining the course of the American economy. Twelve people in the United States actually have that job. They sit on the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee. Their votes affect hundreds of millions of people. And it’s just one of their many responsibilities. Rob Kaplan is one of those twelve. How does he do it? He focuses on communication - no small task when you help lead one of the most tight-lipped institutions on the planet. In this episode, Host Gautam Mukunda speaks...

Economic growth demands a stable climate. So, what happens when that stability starts to erode? What becomes of our economy when it is too hot to go outside for six months of the year? Or, when the coastal cities of the world are no longer inhabitable? What does this mean for business? Climate change is a systemic risk to the global economy. However, it is a collective risk and, if we take collective action across industries and around the world, we can mitigate the worst effects of climate...

What drives a Super Bowl champion, a top-notch angel investor, a healthcare executive, and a coach for the ultimate NFL dynasty? Today’s guest, Jerod Mayo knows that growth and opportunity begin with getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. As leaders, how can we get to the point where discomfort is something that we lean into, not away from? We all start as rookies but not all of us become champions, and what differentiates the two? It may be the desire to never stop learning, and...

Contrary to conventional wisdom, economic research makes it clear that increased immigration to the U.S. would be a huge boon, spurring innovation, entrepreneurship and long-term economic growth. Why then are some in politics and the media stoking an anti-immigration sentiment? Is it possible that fear of cultural disruption is standing in the way of boosting the American economy, improving international relations, jump-starting local communities and driving future innovation?  How does...

Ethical leadership is both personally rewarding — and incredibly hard. How do ethical entrepreneurs and leaders maintain faith in their vision, pivot when necessary, reconcile unintentional consequences, implement innovation guardrails, and persevere in the face of powerful obstacles? It helps to have a North Star – an unwavering vision for the future and a real sense of who they want to be in the future. In this episode, Gautam Mukunda speaks with two industry creators, Bodhala CEO Raj...

How do you find the next big idea — one that will change business or the world? As the main forces of R&D have moved out of government offices and into private businesses, many organizations lack the structure to properly engage them. How can companies encourage innovation and growth in our fast-moving world? What organizational changes can be implemented to create a structure that nurtures sky-high, implausible ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and lead us to our next innovation...

Leaders model behavior and inspire others to emulate them in their personal lives and on a bigger scale. Just as we have a choice to do the right thing in our personal lives, business leaders have that choice at work. Many strive to be people of good character in all aspects of their lives. But, what does it really mean to be a person of good character? Or, from a business perspective, a company of character? If character is the critical component of ethical leadership, how do we cultivate it...

In a way, the space where we live is an exhibition, a curation of an exact moment in time. As humans, we are constantly assessing the world around us and arranging it to fit our values. But, what factors influence our sense of taste and point of view? What makes something desirable? What methods do designers and leaders apply to contextualize products, information, and experiences people love? In this episode, Gautam Mukunda speaks with the Head of the Design Lab at Harvard, Dr. Beth...

New digital tools can allow us to combat loneliness as the world transitions to a predominately remote workplace. But can technology create an experience where people feel a deeper source of connection with one another? Can it mimic the face-to-face environments of the past? One thing we do know: The only way we will be able to overcome this pandemic is if we do it together. But in a time of such intense isolation, how do we reclaim togetherness to solve the problems that plague us? In this...

Risk: the tug-of-war between innovation and the looming prospect of failure that is behind the scenes of every business and industry. And few industries see greater tension between innovation and failure than that of motion pictures. So, how do we innovate and transform a risk-averse industry, especially one that shapes our culture and how we see ourselves? In this episode, Gautam Mukunda is joined by the Founder and CEO of the Black List, Franklin Leonard, to discover what can be learned...

In the face of our ever-changing working environments, the stories we tell ourselves will change the way we see the world. Focusing on our strengths and finding meaning in what we do will unlock our best selves and allow us to lead and succeed even when the going gets rough, even when it seems like success and integrity are at odds. In this episode, Gautam Mukunda is joined by serial entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, Tal Ben-Shahar, and blog writer and...

A rapidly-changing world is putting leaders—and their organizations—under stress as never before. In this episode, Gautam Mukunda is joined by former Navy bomb specialist Daniel (Danny) Glenn and biomedical researcher Aleksandra (Sandra) Stankovic to explore human performance in extreme environments and how to lead when the stakes are increasingly high. Danny is a former Navy Special Operations Officer who was the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Commander for the Special Operations Task Force in...

Truth and trust are the cornerstones of U.S. democracy. How can the United States, and its leaders, resurrect those central ideas to ensure a viable future for the country and its people? In this episode, Gautam Mukunda is joined by three-time Pulitzer Prize recipient and prolific author, Thomas Friedman, to discuss weaknesses in American democracy and how to repair them, and what the Biden administration can do to set the U.S. on a trajectory of long-term sustainable growth. Throughout his...

A leadership podcast for a changing world. Host Gautam Mukunda explores what it takes to lead through times of change and crisis — featuring unexpected conversations with global leaders across different fields and industries.

A leadership podcast for a changing world. Host Gautam Mukunda explores what it takes to lead through times of change and crisis — featuring unexpected conversations with global leaders across different fields and industries.