37 min
Frances Frei: From Problems to Progress- Bold Leadership in Action The Bold Lounge
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- Business
About This Episode
Everything is fixable if you are open to change, according to Frances Frei, Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School and author of Move Fast and Fix Things. In this powerful episode, we dive into the world of trust-building, strategy optimization, and leadership as Frances shares her bold journey, from challenging gender norms in her early years to becoming an expert in strategic operations and an advocate for open sourcing knowledge. She also breaks down the concepts of radical prioritization, buffer leadership, and overcoming mistrust, giving actionable ways that you can solve organizational problems, no matter your position. Frances also emphasizes the importance of valuing diverse perspectives and overriding our innate inclination towards uniformity. Her insights remind us that leadership isn't just about making decisions—it's about inspiring others, fostering trust, and guiding your team towards success.
About Frances Frei
Frances Frei is a Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School. Her research investigates how leaders create the conditions for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. She regularly advises organizations embarking on large-scale change initiatives, including embracing diversity and inclusion as a lever for significantly improving performance. A global thought leader on leadership and strategy, Frances is widely recognized for her breakthrough scholarship and high-impact teaching. She developed one of the most popular classes at HBS, which explores business models that reliably delight customers. She also led the design and launch of HBS’s innovative FIELD curriculum built around learning experiences that are experiential and immersive. In 2017, Frances was tapped to become Uber's first Senior Vice President of Leadership and Strategy with a mandate to help thousands of employees excel in a context of hyper-growth, strategic change, and an evolution in culture.
In 2018, Frances delivered a TED talk viewed by millions on ‘How to build (and rebuild) trust.’ Frances is the best-selling author of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business and Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You. Hailed as “the definitive guide to leadership today,” Unleashed inspires readers to look beyond themselves and focus on the true challenge of leadership: how to unlock the potential of others. Her newest book, Move Fast & Fix Things is on shelves now. In 2023, Frances and her wife, Anne Morriss, launched their first podcast. “Fixable” is a career advice podcast produced by TED Audio Collective and guides advice seekers toward getting unstuck. The leadership couple take real people’s career complications - no matter their industry or position - and set them up for success. Frances holds a Ph.D. in Operations and Information Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Additional Resources
Website: https://anneandfrances.com/
Order Her New Book, Move Fast and Fix Things
LinkedIn: @FrancesFrei
Instagram: @francesxfrei
About This Episode
Everything is fixable if you are open to change, according to Frances Frei, Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School and author of Move Fast and Fix Things. In this powerful episode, we dive into the world of trust-building, strategy optimization, and leadership as Frances shares her bold journey, from challenging gender norms in her early years to becoming an expert in strategic operations and an advocate for open sourcing knowledge. She also breaks down the concepts of radical prioritization, buffer leadership, and overcoming mistrust, giving actionable ways that you can solve organizational problems, no matter your position. Frances also emphasizes the importance of valuing diverse perspectives and overriding our innate inclination towards uniformity. Her insights remind us that leadership isn't just about making decisions—it's about inspiring others, fostering trust, and guiding your team towards success.
About Frances Frei
Frances Frei is a Professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School. Her research investigates how leaders create the conditions for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. She regularly advises organizations embarking on large-scale change initiatives, including embracing diversity and inclusion as a lever for significantly improving performance. A global thought leader on leadership and strategy, Frances is widely recognized for her breakthrough scholarship and high-impact teaching. She developed one of the most popular classes at HBS, which explores business models that reliably delight customers. She also led the design and launch of HBS’s innovative FIELD curriculum built around learning experiences that are experiential and immersive. In 2017, Frances was tapped to become Uber's first Senior Vice President of Leadership and Strategy with a mandate to help thousands of employees excel in a context of hyper-growth, strategic change, and an evolution in culture.
In 2018, Frances delivered a TED talk viewed by millions on ‘How to build (and rebuild) trust.’ Frances is the best-selling author of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business and Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You. Hailed as “the definitive guide to leadership today,” Unleashed inspires readers to look beyond themselves and focus on the true challenge of leadership: how to unlock the potential of others. Her newest book, Move Fast & Fix Things is on shelves now. In 2023, Frances and her wife, Anne Morriss, launched their first podcast. “Fixable” is a career advice podcast produced by TED Audio Collective and guides advice seekers toward getting unstuck. The leadership couple take real people’s career complications - no matter their industry or position - and set them up for success. Frances holds a Ph.D. in Operations and Information Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Additional Resources
Website: https://anneandfrances.com/
Order Her New Book, Move Fast and Fix Things
LinkedIn: @FrancesFrei
Instagram: @francesxfrei
37 min