HBR On Leadership

Harvard Business Review
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HBR On Leadership

Leadership isn’t a trait, it’s a set of skills. Whether you’re managing up or motivating a team, HBR On Leadership is your destination for insights and inspiration from the world’s top leadership practitioners and experts. Every Wednesday, the editors at the Harvard Business Review hand-picked conversations and case studies with global business leaders, management experts, academics, from across HBR to unlock the best in those around you.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Is the C-Suite Right for You?

    Lots of people’s career timelines go something like this: graduate, get a job, get promoted, and keep climbing until you reach the top. Somewhere along the way, they go on autopilot—accepting each new role as it comes, without much thought. And before they know it, they’re positioned for the C-suite. This is exactly what happened to Sarah, a woman who’s on the cusp of a C-level role. But like many leaders, she’s reached a point where the logical next step no longer aligns with what really motivates her. If you can relate, you’ll get a lot from this conversation on Coaching Real Leaders—where executive coach Muriel Wilkins helps Sarah figure out if the next step is truly right for her, or if it’s just the one she feels like she’s supposed to take. Key episode topics include: career transitions, career coaching, leadership, CEOs, executives, promotions Listen to the original Coaching Real Leaders episode: Do I Really Want to Be a C-Suite Leader?Find more episodes of Coaching Real LeadersDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org ]]>

    50 min

  2. 9 JUL

    How to Succeed in Your Career When Change Is a Constant

    Disruption and transformation are the new normal in nearly every industry. So how do you stay ahead of the curve? Over the past four decades, Bonnie Hammer successfully adapted to massive changes in the media industry, rising from production assistant to leadership roles in broadcast, cable, and streaming. As the former vice chair of NBCUniversal, she has advice on how to get noticed, acquire the right skillsets, make smart decisions, and adjust to shifting corporate and market dynamics. She’s the author of the book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …and the Truth We Need to Succeed. Key episode topics include: career transitions, leadership, managing uncertainty, decision making, innovation, entertainment industry Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: How to Navigate Change at Any Career StageFind more episodes of HBR IdeaCastDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org]]>

    29 min

  3. 2 JUL

    The Right Way to Step Down as CEO

    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 that the leave-taking process of the outgoing chief executive is often mishandled, with negative impacts on succession and the organization. Rebecca Slan Jerusalim, an executive director at Russell Reynolds Associates, and Navio Kwok, a leadership advisor at RRA, say that boards are often surprised when a CEO gives notice, and they often make that person feel excluded during the handoff process. The researchers share stories from the front lines about CEO psychology, best practices for outgoing leaders and their boards, and broader lessons for effective transitions. Jerusalim and Kwok wrote the HBR article “The Vital Role of the Outgoing CEO.” Key episode topics include: leadership transitions, succession planning, leadership, managing uncertainty, corporate communications, boards Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Why We Should Pay More Attention to Departing CEOsFind more episodes of HBR IdeaCastDiscover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org ]]>

    29 min

  4. 25 JUN

    Why Profits Follow Purpose

    This month, we're highlighting some of the best conversations from the 2025 HBR Leadership Summit held in April. In today’s episode, Anish Shah, CEO of Mahindra Group, one of India's largest and most prominent conglomerates, discusses the importance of purpose in driving profit. Shah provides examples of Mahindra's positive impact on communities. And he shares his thoughts on navigating the current political and business environment and maintaining Mahindra's mission-driven culture. He also explains how Mahindra is making a positive impact on communities, from educating children to empowering women to driving productivity in farming.

    30 min

  5. 18 JUN

    How Nonprofits Can Navigate Uncertainty

    This month, we're highlighting some of the best conversations from the 2025 HBR Leadership Summit held in April. In this episode, Janti Soeripto, CEO of Save the Children US, shares how the organization navigates overlapping global crises—from pandemics to war—while staying focused on its core mission: ensuring children survive and thrive. With 24,000 staff members working across 115 countries, Save the Children provides health, education, protection, emergency response, and advocacy services. Soeripto offers hard-won lessons on leading with clarity, measuring impact in volatile environments, and remaining agile while never losing sight of mission—and why optimism and data must coexist.

    32 min

  6. 11 JUN

    Customer-Obsessed Innovation

    This month, we're highlighting some of the best conversations from the 2025 HBR Leadership Summit held in April. In this episode, David Risher, CEO of Lyft, shares how he’s driving a turnaround at the rideshare company by anchoring everything in customer obsession. Since Risher took the wheel in 2023, Lyft reached record bookings and a 31% increase in annual revenue and its first full year of profitability. Risher shares how his own experience behind the wheel as a Lyft driver informs product innovation. And why listening deeply—whether to a single passenger or a room of drivers—can lead to breakthrough ideas. He also opens up about navigating layoffs, launching inclusive features, and preparing for an autonomous future while keeping human dignity front and center.

    35 min

  7. 4 JUN

    Building an AI-Powered, Talent-Friendly Organization

    Over the next four weeks, we're highlighting some of the best conversations from the 2025 HBR Leadership Summit held in April. In this episode, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, shares her leadership approach to scaling one of the world’s largest online travel companies. From pioneering the use of AI in customer experience and internal operations to reimagining hybrid work and gender diversity, she shares how she's steering a global company through rapid change and geopolitical uncertainty. She discusses her emphasis on hiring for integrity, competence, and curiosity, and outlines how AI is embedded throughout the business—from resume screening and customer personalization to employee training and product development.

    29 min

  8. 28 MAY

    Don’t Just Coach Your Employees—Teach Them

    Sydney Finkelstein, a professor of management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, encourages leaders to approach their direct reports like teachers. As Finkelstein explains, being a teacher-leader means continually meeting face to face with employees to communicate lessons about professionalism, points of craft, and life. He says it’s easy to try and that teaching is one of the best ways to motivate people and improve their performance. Finkelstein is the author of “The Best Leaders Are Great Teachers” in the January–February 2018 issue of Harvard Business Review.

    20 min
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About

Leadership isn’t a trait, it’s a set of skills. Whether you’re managing up or motivating a team, HBR On Leadership is your destination for insights and inspiration from the world’s top leadership practitioners and experts. Every Wednesday, the editors at the Harvard Business Review hand-picked conversations and case studies with global business leaders, management experts, academics, from across HBR to unlock the best in those around you.

Information

  • Channel
    Harvard Business Review
  • Creator
    Harvard Business Review
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

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