Thought Sparks

Rita Gunther-McGrath
  • 4.8 (5)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern.

  1. 1d ago

    The Improbable Professor: Don Hambrick on Setbacks, Strategy, and Second Chances 

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C Suite strategist, business founder and best selling author, welcomes Don Hambrick, Evan Pugh Professor and the Smeal Chaired Professor of Management at Pennsylvania State University and author of The Improbable Professor.     0:00  Introduction & Welcome  0:29  Welcoming Don Hambrick  2:00  Does the Academy of Management Really Matter?  4:30  Don's Landmark Research: CEO Hubris, Tenure & Strategy  10:08  Learning the Craft of Teaching at Columbia  11:29  Writing The Improbable Professor  15:43  Don's Early Life & Parents  19:56  Family Relationships & Discovering His Daughter  24:48  The Path to Becoming a Professor  28:10  The Evolution of Strategy as a Field  35:30  Porter's Five Forces & Industry Analysis  39:09  The Value of a PhD  44:20  The Future of Business Schools  52:06  Reflections on the Book & Resilience  54:00  Closing & The Concorde Story    Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    The Improbable Professor: Don Hambrick on Setbacks, Strategy, and Second Chances 

  2. Oct 13

    Why Data Alone Won't Change Your Organization with Sebastian Wernicke

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C Suite strategist, business founder and best selling author, sits down with Sebastian Wernicke, author of “Data Inspired: Building an Organizational Culture of Inquiry for Lasting Transformation” and expert in data science, machine learning and AI.    0:00 Introduction & Welcome 1:08 Sebastian's Journey into Data 2:54 The Frustration That Inspired the Book 5:09 Data: Keeping Organizations the Same? 6:26 The Slow Elevator Story 8:38 Purpose First, Data Second 9:25 Understanding the Real Problem 12:12 Building a Culture of Inquiry 15:33 Data Driven or Data Frustrated 18:23 Data as Compression of Reality 19:54 Three Myths About Data 26:09 Complex Decisions: Bezos on Anecdotes vs. Data 28:41 Three Kinds of Indicators 30:34 Experimentation & Leading Indicators 31:49 Economics Consulting in Practice 37:24 Strategy as Problem-Solving 39:42 AI Strategy & Token Maxing 42:29 Measuring What Can't Be Measured 46:18 The Data Inspired Manifesto 48:54 Book Reception Across Fields 52:27 Bad Metrics & Short-Termism 55:18 Creating Space for Thinking 57:15 Closing Thoughts      Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    Why Data Alone Won't Change Your Organization with Sebastian Wernicke

  3. Oct 6

    Speak Memorably: Bill McGowan on the Art of Captivating Any Audience

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C Suite strategist, business founder and best selling author, sits down with Bill McGowan, founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group and a  two-time Emmy Award-winning correspondent. Bill’s second book is Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience,written alongside co-author Juliana Silva.   0:00 Cold Open: The Playing Not to Lose Mentality  0:23 Welcome & Introducing Bill McGowan  1:20 From TV News to Communication Coaching  5:32 The Magnificent Seven: Verbal Devices  10:00 Creative Labels: Toothbrush Test, Goldilocks & Pottery Barn  12:14 The Conformity Zone: Why Executives Sound the Same  15:37 Hooking Your Audience & The Cost of Poor Communication  20:34 Coaching Skeptical Executives  24:16 Structuring a Great Speech (No Jokes)  25:27 Lessons from Stand Up Comedians  29:38 Novartis Super Bowl Ad & The Power of Levity  35:55 Making Complex Problems Simple: The Ozone Layer  37:58 Contextualizing Data for Real People  40:38 Leaders, Symbolism & Plain Talk  45:44 Conveying Bad News (BP & Goldman Sachs)  48:32 Knowing Your Audience & Speech Prep Tips  52:26 “Being Authentic” Needs Discernment  54:41 Where to Find Bill & Closing      Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    Speak Memorably: Bill McGowan on the Art of Captivating Any Audience

  4. Sep 29

    Mastering the Craft of Leadership with Rick Goings

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Rick Goings, founder of The Rick Goings Institute for Management and Executive Leadership at Rollins College. Formerly, Rick held several senior executive roles at Avon Products and served as Chairman & CEO of Tupperware Brands.     0:00  Introduction  0:25  Meet Rick Goings  1:21  The Rollins College Institute  2:58  Rick's Journey: Navy to Entrepreneur  6:31  First Company & Fortunate Pet  7:56  Avon and Tupperware  8:30  Women: Hiding in Plain Sight  9:46  Transforming Tupperware  12:29  Empowering Women in Patriarchal Societies  13:56  Warrior Training in Indonesia  17:31  Leadership as a Craft  19:59  The Institute & Rod Adkins  27:34  Google's Project Oxygen  29:33  The Bruce Springsteen Story  34:26  Peer Learning at the Institute  35:40  Three Focus Areas: Foresight, Vitality, Civic Leadership  37:41  Shareholder vs Stakeholder Value  41:59  The Vatican & Stakeholder Value  43:37  The Great Transition in Capitalism  45:27  "Add Value" – A Daily Mindset  50:35  The Future of Business Schools  52:45  The Halo Effect & AI Simulations  58:10  Forging Leaders  1:02:10  Conclusion      Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    Mastering the Craft of Leadership with Rick Goings

  5. Sep 22

    Plastic, Pollution & Power: Beth Gardiner on Who's Really to Blame

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Beth Gardiner, journalist with bylines in National Geographic, the New York Times, the Guardian, the Washington Post, and Scientific American; and author of the new book Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet.   0:00  Intro & Welcome  1:06  How the Book Idea Came About  6:50  The Fossil Fuel Industry's Pivot to Plastic  10:06  The History & Growth of Plastic Production  12:30  Recycling as a PR Tool  17:55  Keep America Beautiful & the Crying Indian  21:38  How Plastic Crept Into Our Lives  25:07  The Economics of Cheap Plastic  29:19  Diane Wilson vs. Formosa Plastics  35:48  The Recycling Symbol & Its Misuse  38:55  Lawsuits & Corporate Accountability  44:16  Fast Fashion & Plastic in Clothing  46:13  Cancer Alley & Fence-Line Communities  50:36  The Ozone Layer Parallel & Policy Solutions  54:10  Extended Producer Responsibility  57:21  Closing & Wrap Up        Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

  6. Sep 15

    The Transformation Economy with Rita McGrath and Joe Pine

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Joe Pine, management advisor and author of the new book The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations. Joe shares insights into the transition from  the experience economy to the transformation economy, and why customers want change, not stuff.     0:00  Intro & Welcome  0:21  Meet Joe Pine: The Transformation Economy  1:28  Origins of the Experience Economy  3:02  The Rise of Coaching & Why Now  6:27  The Economic Hierarchy: Commodities to Transformations  7:00  From Tangible to Intangible Assets  8:54  Understanding What Customers Truly Want  12:27  The Four Types of Transformation  15:02  The Transformation Framework: Scale & Kind  17:16  Rethinking Competitive Advantage  20:27  Time Well Saved, Spent & Invested  22:12  Friction in Experiences & The Modern Love Column  25:05  Generational Shifts in Valuing Experiences  30:49  Nudging Companies Toward Customer-Centricity  33:25  Disneyland: Making Dad the Hero  35:06  Real-World Experience Fails: Hotel & Passport Stories  39:28  The Real Purpose of Business: Human Flourishing  43:22  The Global Food Economy & Pricing Paradoxes  47:23  The Coffee Progression: 5¢ Beans to $8 Latte  49:16  Surprises from 30 Years of Research  52:11  Paying for Outcomes: Texas State Technical College  55:43  AI & The Future of Outcomes-Based Economy  57:58  Wrap-Up & Closing        Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    The Transformation Economy with Rita McGrath and Joe Pine

  7. Sep 8

    The Science of Better Leadership with Rita McGrath and Caroline Webb

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Caroline Webb, former McKinsey partner, leadership coach, and economist. Her new book, Leadership Intelligence, which is available on September 8, gives practical strategies for leaders facing 21 everyday management challenges.       0:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks  0:24 Meet Caroline Webb  1:21 Experiential vs. Deliberate Wisdom  3:04 How the Book Came to Be  10:27 The Three-Part Structure: How We Think  12:57 The Brain's Reward System: Competence & Connection  17:23 The Brain's Threat System & Resilience  19:58 Absorbing Uncertainty: Know, Be, Do  26:00 Staying Calm Under Pressure: The ABC Routine  27:57 The Readiness Reframe: Channeling Anxiety  29:59 Preparing Before Key Moments  31:00 The Positive No  36:51 Fix Flex: The Art of Delegation  40:17 The Leadership Pipeline & Managing AI Agents  41:48 Difficult Conversations: Layoffs & Underperformance  45:08 Compassionate Clarity  45:36 The Arc of a Coaching Engagement  50:21 Common Themes in Senior Leaders  53:56 Loneliness at the Top & Building Networks  56:09 Wrap-Up & Where to Learn More     Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

  8. Sep 1

    Leadership in an Age of Polycrisis with Rita McGrath and Caroline Stokes

    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Caroline Stokes, author of AfterShock to 2030: A CEO’s Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse, and member of the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2026.     0:00 — Cold Open: The Trust Crisis in CEO Leadership  0:26 — Welcome to Thought Sparks & Introducing Caroline Stokes  2:10 — The Brian Thompson Assassination: Why It Opens the Book  6:21 — Why the Book Is Digital-Only & CEO Reading Habits  8:10 — The Trust Gap: Organizations Making People Sick  12:20 — LSE Research: Doughnut Economics & Post-Growth Practices  15:15 — Why "Aftershock": Polyvagal Theory & CEO Behaviors  19:11 — Carlota Perez: Turning Points in Capitalism  22:03 — NVIDIA's Fluid, Mission-First Organization Model  25:55 — Mea Culpa & Tabula Rasa: Reinventing Yourself as a Leader  31:07 — Radical Listening: The Human-to-Human Approach  34:39 — The PlayStation Backward Compatibility Story  36:30 — AI-Enabled Radical Listening & the DOGE Example  38:21 — NVIDIA's Top Five Things & Stochastic Sampling  41:01 — Getting Started: Finding Your Mission & Purpose  45:43 — Corruption, Shareholder Theory & the Need for a Reset  48:12 — Caroline's Personal Shocks & Living Abroad  49:53 — Advice for Younger People  54:26 — Where to Find the Book & Closing Remarks        Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts  and Spotify.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719  https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU    Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q    Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/  https://x.com/rgmcgrath  https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social    Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram.  https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath  https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/    Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.    https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/    Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

    Leadership in an Age of Polycrisis with Rita McGrath and Caroline Stokes
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern.

Information

  • Creator
    Rita Gunther-McGrath
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    164
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Rita Gunther-McGrath
  • Show Website
    Thought Sparks

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