Stanford GSB

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Channel • 4 Shows

Management

Management

Updated Biweekly
Management

Management

Updated May 13
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated Semimonthly
Business

Business

Updated Biweekly

6D AGO

The Art of Friction

“Friction for us has to do with obstacles,” says Hayagreeva “Huggy” Rao, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “Obstacles can disable you. Obstacles can enable you.” Rao compares friction to cholesterol: Some is good, but some is bad. “Good friction actually slows you down, gets you to pause, and most of all, gets you to reflect,” he explains. “But there’s also friction that overwhelms you, exhausts you, confuses you.” On this episode of If/Then, Rao explores how to cultivate the productive kind of friction, reduce the unhelpful kind, and manage your team’s most precious resource. “Great leaders are people who think of themselves as trustees of other people's time,” he says. Do you have any favorite examples of good or bad friction? Share one with us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content: Huggy Rao faculty profile The Friction ProjectHow to become a friction fixer Chapters: 00:00:00 Airport baggage claim, waiting, & good friction 00:03:20 Introduction 00:03:48 What friction means in organizations 00:05:42 Where friction comes from 00:07:52 Scaling through smart subtraction 00:08:24 DropBox’s approach to meetings 00:10:45 The problem with meetings 00:13:53 What good friction looks like 00:16:56 Friction, trust, & institutional legitimacy 00:19:31 Why Huggy Rao started studying friction 00:22:20 Conclusion See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6d ago

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24 min
MAY 13

David Baszucki Says Roblox Is the Future of Communication

Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki was building a 3D, multiplayer, cloud-based world before almost anybody had thought about the metaverse. In a wide-ranging conversation with Jeremy Tepper, MBA ’26, on View From The Top: The Podcast, Baszucki describes how he created a company that’s become a household name. “My job is a constant re-architecture of myself,” he says. From outlasting competitors like Minecraft and Fortnite to prioritizing the safety of Roblox users, Baszucki says he sees challenges as opportunities. “We really are, arguably… the future of how you stay in touch with someone else.” This conversation was recorded on November 18, 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 13

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57 min
MAY 6

Unconventional Wisdom

“I don’t see things like anybody else,” says Jonathan Berk, a professor of finance at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “And so I can see things people don't see.” On this episode, Berk explores recent research that pushes against conventional wisdom, from questioning the utility of the debt-to-GDP ratio to asking whether regulation is actually in the best interests of the consumer. “If you disagree with me… You have to write down a convincing theoretical model and analyze [it].” Berk admits his unique lens doesn’t always make life easy. But on the other hand, “it confers an enormous advantage” — and he believes that organizations which are able to harness the power of unconventional thinking can gain a competitive edge. “It’s allowed me to solve problems that other people couldn't solve,” he says. Has seeing the world differently helped you resolve a conundrum? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content: Jonathan Berk faculty profile What If We’re Looking at the National Debt All Wrong? Chapters: 00:00:00 The Fosbury Flop, innovation, & unconventional thinking 00:03:18 Introduction 00:04:24 Questioning conventional wisdom 00:04:57 Rethinking the debt-to-GDP ratio 00:08:21 A finance perspective on national debt 00:10:36 Why theory matters before alarm 00:12:38 Regulation, charlatans, & consumer interests 00:16:22 Licensing, certification, & competition 00:19:51 The cost of pushing back 00:21:16 Building organizations that welcome dissent 00:24:59 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 6

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26 min
MAR 20

Joe Tsai Says Start Local, Then Go Global

Alibaba, known as the “Amazon of China,” is one of the world’s most valuable companies. In a wide-ranging conversation on View From The Top: The Podcast, co-founder and chairman Joe Tsai recalls how it became the company it is today — and looks ahead to the company it may become. Having access to AI, Tsai says, is like “having access to water and air.” He rejects the suggestion that the United States and China must compete to develop this resource. “AI is a race among companies, but AI shouldn’t be a race between countries,” he says. Asked for his advice on building a global company, Tsai suggests focusing on winning locally first. “You have to win the market where you started,” he says. “And then you can think about going overseas, going global, because with winning local battles, you’re training your team, you’re developing talent that enables you to be a global player. So you’ve got to start somewhere.” This conversation was recorded on January 29, 2026. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 20

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1h 2m
04/25/2024

Jensen Huang on How to Use First-Principles Thinking to Drive Decisions

"You can learn how something can be done and then go back to first principles and ask yourself, 'Given the conditions today, given my motivation, given the instruments, the tools, given how things have changed, how would I redo this? How would I reinvent this whole thing?" Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, started his career washing dishes at Denny's. He then worked his way to busboy and, eventually, founded what is one of today's most valuable companies on Wall Street. In this interview at Stanford GSB's View From The Top event, founder and CEO Jensen Huang, MS '92, shares the stage with Shantam Jain, MBA '24, to detail his experience founding NVIDIA, funding it, and, finally his views on AI. Stanford GSB’s View From The Top is the dean’s premier speaker series. It launched in 1978 and is supported in part by the F. Kirk Brennan Speaker Series Fund. During student-led interviews and before a live audience, leaders from around the world share insights on effective leadership, their personal core values, and lessons learned throughout their career. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

04/25/2024

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58 min
APR 22

Why Who You Are Affects How You Think

“When people come to view attitudes and opinions towards, say, political policies or issues as relevant to their identities, they become more extreme in their attitudes,” says Christian Wheeler, the StrataCom Professor of Management and Professor of Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “I become more positive or negative towards an issue the moment it becomes relevant to who I view myself as being.” Wheeler’s research offers insight into our increasingly polarized politics. However, his work has also yielded ideas for bridging divisions — beginning with how we listen to each other and how we see the people we disagree with. The moment we see someone as an individual rather than a category, we become more likely to find common ground. “Instead of viewing you as a Democrat or a Republican, I can view you as an individual,” Wheeler recommends. “Anything that humanizes you and moves you away from this simple category will help me to view you as an individual and less as just an interchangeable member of a category.” How much do your opinions define who you are? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content: Christian Wheeler faculty profile In a Polarized World, an Open Mind Can Hurt Your ReputationYou May Not Be Who You Think You AreClass Takeaways — How to Build Connection Through Better Listening Chapters: 00:00:02 Tattoos, identity, & personal evolution 00:03:26 Introduction 00:03:59 Why identity matters 00:04:56 Identity relevance & its implications 00:08:03 Why openness to the other side gets punished 00:10:57 Identities vs. opinions 00:13:53 The power of individuation 00:15:53 How to break the cycle of polarization 00:19:41 Organizational applications 00:23:26 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apr 22

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25 min
MAR 25

What We Actually Learn From Experience

Steven Callander has spent years building a mathematical framework to answer the question of how people learn from experience. “Here in Silicon Valley, the expression that you learn from failure is very widespread and very intuitive. But the question is… what do you learn? How do you optimally learn from that experience?” In this episode, Callander, the Herbert Hoover Professor of Public and Private Management and Professor of Political Economy at Stanford Graduate School of Business, explains the hidden, deceptively simple logic of correlated learning — and it may change how you think about finding the right job, the right market, or the right strategy. “It fascinates me and I can't stop thinking about it,” he says. Has theory made an impact on your life? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content: Steven Callander faculty profileHow to Turn Old Ideas Into Creative Solutions to Modern ProblemsWhat We’re Still Learning from Silicon Valley’s Bank Collapse Chapters: 00:00 Ann Miura-Ko on learning and the search for patterns in Venture capital 02:51 Introduction 05:23 What is correlated learning? 06:40 Where does this research apply in the real world? 09:28 Brownian Motion 12:45 Steven Callander’s Framework 15:25 Examples of correlated learning when seeking expert advice 20:53 Applying correlated learning 23:57 Why correlated learning research? 24:51 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 25

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26 min
MAR 11

How Dating and Sports Explain the Job Market

Seemingly unrelated activities — like taking a soccer penalty kick or crafting an online dating profile — involve an embedded economics. “Understanding and applying economic logic can be valuable in pretty much any job or any other endeavor in your life,” says Paul Oyer, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business. On this episode, Oyer digs into the shared economic logic of online dating and the labor market, explains why pro athletes and sports fans think like economists, and explores how AI has reduced the beneficial friction that was once a part of job searches. Got a question about the economics of dating, sports, or the job market? Ask us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content: Paul Oyer faculty profileUtility Player: Paul Oyer Explains How Economics Can Make Sports More Fun Chapters: 00:00 Strategic decision-making in air traffic control 03:06 Introduction 03:27 Why sports are a useful lens for understanding economics 09:53 Why economics matters far beyond money 10:54 Economics & online 14:36 Applications of game theory 16:54 How AI is reshaping hiring and the labor market 22:25 The labor market challenge economists still have not solved 24:18 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 11

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25 min
FEB 27

A.G. Sulzberger Is Tuning Out the Cheers and the Jeers

“Being a reporter is the most fun an adult is allowed to have at work,” says A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher and chairman of The New York Times. In a wide-ranging conversation with Amira Weeks, MBA ’26, on View From The Top: The Podcast, Sulzberger reflects on what it means to lead a 175-year-old media institution in a moment of intense political pressure and technological disruption. He explains why journalists must “tune out the cheers and the jeers” and why democracy and markets depend on “the accountability and transparency that the press provides.” This conversation was recorded on January 13, 2026. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 27

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1h 8m
07/16/2025

Ken Griffin Still Checks His P&L

Ken Griffin heads the most profitable hedge fund in history. But Citadel’s founder and CEO is focused on the future — not the scoreboard. “I like to think I haven’t accomplished yet what I will be remembered for,” Griffin tells Michael Liu, MBA ’25. “That this is not a view from the top, but a journey to a destination yet to be determined.” From entrepreneurship — “If you want to be an entrepreneur, you have to first learn how to sell” — to the importance of lifelong learning — “If you’re going to go to work at a firm and you’re the smartest person in the room, you have so screwed up your Stanford MBA” — Griffin reflects on what he’s learned since the early days of Citadel and why he's still laser-focused on learning today. “I think legendary investors really know when they have an advantage — and they press it. They’re confident in their conviction, and when they're wrong, they move on.” This conversation was recorded on April 25, 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

07/16/2025

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48 min

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Stanford GSB

Top Shows

The Art of Friction

David Baszucki Says Roblox Is the Future of Communication

Unconventional Wisdom

Joe Tsai Says Start Local, Then Go Global

Jensen Huang on How to Use First-Principles Thinking to Drive Decisions

Why Who You Are Affects How You Think

What We Actually Learn From Experience

How Dating and Sports Explain the Job Market

A.G. Sulzberger Is Tuning Out the Cheers and the Jeers

Ken Griffin Still Checks His P&L

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