Happiness, artificial intelligence, and climate change were just some of the themes that caught the attention of Harvard Business School podcast listeners in 2023.
Here are some of the most-downloaded episodes of the year:
Deep Purpose
How Framebridge Founder Susan Tynan Managed Risk While Making an Impact
Great business leaders are problem solvers. That’s what sparked Susan Tynan to found Framebridge, a custom framing company. When Tynan couldn’t find a reasonably priced place to frame her beloved posters, she launched a business, which took off after years of hard work—and hard decisions. Ranjay Gulati talks to Tynan about her learning journey, and how she managed the risks of entrepreneurship while aiming to make a lasting impact.
Saving BlackBerry: CEO John Chen Explains How to Make the Hard Calls
John Chen was hired to save an iconic smartphone company that ran out of juice. BlackBerry had gone from being a corporate world must-have to a global has-been. Chen tells Ranjay Gulati that the key to turning Blackberry around was being prepared to make hard calls, even in midst of uncertainty. He says that, in business, the journey can be more important than the destination.
Making Global Sustainability Personal at Bühler
The global food supply chain is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental challenges. Many companies avoid these issues or make token efforts to reduce their impact on the planet. But as CEO of the Swiss-based technology giant Bühler Group, Stefan Scheiber is mapping a courageous plan to combat food waste and climate change. Ranjay Gulati hears from Scheiber about how he challenges his own company, its customers, and himself to face sustainability problems head-on.
Climate Rising
Accelerating the Energy Transition: The US Inflation Reduction Act
This bonus episode features the Harvard Law School Environmental and Energy Law Program’s CleanLaw podcast, where professors Jody Freeman (Harvard) and Greg Dotson (University of Oregon) talk about the US Inflation Reduction Act that was enacted in 2022. They discuss how the bill got passed, what the law contains, how its provisions connect to other climate-related laws, and how it seeks to accelerate the country’s deployment of clean energy and other efforts to address climate change.
Google’s AI Approach to Climate Change
Michael Toffel talks to Yossi Matias, vice president of engineering and research at Google and the founding managing director of the Google Center in Israel, explains how Google uses AI and machine learning to tackle some of the biggest challenges for climate mitigation and adaptation. He describes how Google uses partnerships and collaboration to innovate in the climate space, and shares his advice for those interested in careers in business and climate.
Beyond Net Zero: How Seventh Generation Plans to Achieve Real Zero Carbon
Ashley Orgain, chief impact officer at Seventh Generation, explains to Michael Toffel why this home care products company decided to set a real zero climate goal instead of net zero, and how they plan to achieve it. She also describes how Seventh Generation is going beyond a carbon footprint to measure its carbon fingerprints that touch every aspect of their business, from banking to creative services.
Cold Call
Ryan Serhant: How to Manage Your Time for Happiness
Real estate entrepreneur, television star, husband, and father Ryan Serhant is incredibly busy and successful. He starts his days at 4 a.m. and often doesn’t end them until 11 p.m. But, it wasn’t always like that. In 2020, just a few months after the US began to shut down in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Serhant had time to reflect on his career as a real estate broker in New York City, wondering if the period of selling real estate at record highs was over. He considered whether he should stay at his current real estate brokerage or launch his own brokerage during a pandemic? Each option had very different implications for his time and flexibility. Ashley Whillans and her co-author Hawken Lord discuss Serhant’s time management techniques and consider the lessons we can all learn about making time our most valuable commodity.
Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover: Lessons in Strategic Change
In October 2022, Elon Musk officially took Twitter private and became the company’s majority shareholder, finally ending a months-long acquisition saga. He appointed himself CEO and brought in his own team to clean house. Musk needed to take decisive steps to succeed against the major opposition to his leadership from both inside and outside the company. Twitter employees circulated an open letter protesting expected layoffs, advertising agencies advised their clients to pause spending on Twitter, and EU officials considered a broader Twitter ban. What short-term actions should Musk take to stabilize the situation, and how should he approach long-term strategy to turn around Twitter? Andy Wu and co-author Goran Calic, associate professor at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, discuss Twitter as a microcosm for the future of media and information.
Muhammad Ali: A Case Study in Purpose-Driven Decision Making
Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., rose from a poor family in segregated Louisville, Kentucky, to international fame, winning three heavyweight boxing titles and becoming a civil rights leader and role model for millions of people around the world. How did he do it? Early in his career, Ali’s creativity and hard work helped him overcome significant obstacles. Ali used his growing fame to bring attention to racism and humanitarian causes he supported, including his then-controversial decision to refuse to fight in the Vietnam War. Robert Simons discusses how Ali made decisions throughout his life and career to leave a lasting impact on the world.
Managing the Future of Work
AI: The Good, the Bad, and the transformative
Is it too late to secure the guardrails? More businesses are turning to AI for its efficiencies and revolutionary potential, but its proliferation has sparked widespread skepticism and questions about equity, privacy, liability, transparency, and security. William Kerr talks to AI expert and entrepreneur Manoj Saxena, who parses the business, policy, ethics, and workforce implications.
How LinkedIn Parses Talent, Skills, and Diversity
Professional work has hit multiple inflection points—from generative AI to remote work and shifting skills requirements. There are few better vantage points for observing the labor market than LinkedIn. SVP and Chief People Officer Teuila Hanson joins William Kerr to discuss workplace trends, skills, credentials, diversity, internal mobility, social capital, and change management.
Volvo Cars Retools Its Talent Strategy for an EV Future
The shift to electric vehicle production means revamping jobs throughout the organization. Chief People Officer Hanna Fager talks to Joseph Fuller about the process, from lining up skills to maintaining an inclusive corporate culture.
The Parlor Room
Mihir Desai on Apple's Powerful Financial Model
Mihir Desai, the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance, discusses how Apple's financial model contributes to its success and illustrates a critical lesson about risk management.
Mike Wheeler on the Jazz of Negotiation
Mike Wheeler, who retired as the MBA Class of 1952 Professor of Management Practice, speaks about how negotiation's improvisational nature makes it much like jazz. He also shares stories about a former president's photo and the acquisition of a television system to illustrate strategies for succeeding at the bargaining table.
Jill Avery on Building a Winning Brand Portfolio
What can you learn about brand portfolio strategy from Marriott's $13.3 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts? Senior Lecturer Jill Avery answers that question and discusses how Marriott overcame the challenge of managing its robust 30-brand portfolio.
Feedback or ideas to share? Email the Working Knowledge team at hbswk@hbs.edu.
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