If/Then

Stanford GSB
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If/Then

How do we lead with purpose, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future? On If/Then, Stanford GSB faculty break down cutting-edge research on leadership, strategy, and more, exploring enduring questions and the forces reshaping business and society today, from AI to geopolitics. Hosted by senior editor Kevin Cool.

  1. Think You Know Yourself? Think Again.

    1D AGO

    Think You Know Yourself? Think Again.

    Brian Lowery, the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the author of Selfless: The Social Creation of You, argues that identity is about much more than external characteristics, family history, or the collection of experiences that compose the chronology of our lives. In fact, Lowery argues, our identities are constantly being formed, shifted, and even co-created — by the people around us.  In this episode, Lowery breaks down how leaders, colleagues, and even casual acquaintances influence the people we are continually becoming — and why recognizing this can change our lives and how we experience the people we know. Understanding this social conception of the self helps us effectively navigate challenges at home and in the workplace, strengthen key relationships, and even bridge political divides. “All these constraints that you feel, maybe those are imaginary,” Lowery says. “The world opens to you, I think, if you believe this, but that is also what's terrifying about it. What's exciting is what's terrifying.” Has someone in your life changed how you see yourself? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content:Brian Lowery faculty profileA Provocative Theory of Identity Finds There is No “You” in SelfLet’s Make a Deal: Negotiation Tips from the ExpertsQuick Thinks: How Others Define UsJanet Varney Chapters:(00:00:00) - Improv is a Team Sport(00:04:20) - Rethinking the Self(00:05:16) - Leadership and Influence(00:07:30) - The Leadership Experiment(00:11:55) - Trust in the Workplace(00:14:24) - Polarization and Social Identity(00:18:33) - The Influence of Proximity(00:20:55) - Changing Identities(00:24:38) - Conclusion This conversation was recorded on November 13, 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 min
  2. How Taxes Influence Innovation

    MAR 5

    How Taxes Influence Innovation

    What’s one of the most powerful forces behind technological breakthroughs, business strategy, and job creation? The tax code. Rebecca Lester, an associate professor of accounting and one of three inaugural Botha-Chan Faculty Scholars at Stanford Graduate School of Business, studies how subtle tax incentives can trigger monumental business decisions, determining how companies invest, grow, and innovate. These incentives don’t just shape corporate strategy — they ripple across industries, economies, and markets. From advancing clean energy to catalyzing global competition, you might think of tax policy as a blueprint for the future. The big question: how to do it right.   Have tax incentives led you to make a personal or professional decision? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu. Related Content:Rebecca Lester faculty profileAmerican Innovation Got Slammed by the “Temporary” End of a Key Tax IncentiveWhy Some Countries Want Companies to Think Inside the “Innovation Box”Tax Cuts in the UK Gave an Unexpected Boost to African Economies This conversation was recorded on November 5, 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    25 min
  3. Dollar Diplomacy: The Hidden Power of Geoeconomics

    FEB 19

    Dollar Diplomacy: The Hidden Power of Geoeconomics

    The pen may be mightier than the sword — but the dollar beats them both. Economic leverage has long shaped the world order, and today global powers use financial networks, trade policies, and sanctions as tools of persuasion — or coercion.  In this episode, Matteo Maggiori, the Moghadam Family Professor of Finance at Stanford Graduate School of Business, outlines why he believes the U.S. dollar remains the world’s financial backbone, why China wants to create an alternative, and how global financial networks serve as both tools of economic statecraft and sources of financial instability in an increasingly multipolar world. This episode features Paula Findlen, the Ubaldo Pierotti Professor of History at Stanford University.  How do you feel about a future where the buck no longer stops with the U.S.?? Email us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.  Related Content:Matteo Maggiori faculty profile“Geoeconomics” Explains How Countries Flex Their Financial MusclesQuick Study: China’s Plan to Challenge the DollarInside China’s Long March Toward Challenging the Dollar This conversation was recorded on September 5, 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 min
  4. Broken Systems, Broken Trust: Why We Need New Rules

    FEB 12

    Broken Systems, Broken Trust: Why We Need New Rules

    “The ultimate price of a bad system falls on the public,” says Anat Admati, the George G.C. Parker Professor of Finance and Economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business and author of The Bankers’ New Clothes. “The Constitution did a lot to constrain the government, but the government has failed to constrain institutions in the private sector.” Simply put, Admati says the real problem isn’t just profit-hungry corporations, it’s the systems that let bad actors get away with it. From the opioid crisis and Boeing’s deadly 737 MAX disasters to the 2008 financial crash, Admati identifies how U.S. institutions failed — and shares the “incredibly sobering” realization that shattered her faith in the rules and those who make them.   This episode features Dominic Cruz and Maya Kesselman Cruz, who perform in the live circus show "Dear San Francisco” at Club Fugazi. How do you think we can restore trust in business, government, and society? Email us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.  Related LinksAnat Admati faculty profileThe Bankers’ New Clothes: What’s Wrong with Banking and What to Do about ItNo Rules, No Trust: How Accountability Shapes CommunicationAre Businesses Undermining Democracy?"Dear San Francisco" at Club Fugazi This conversation was recorded on August 20, 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    25 min
  5. Is Work Killing Us?

    FEB 5

    Is Work Killing Us?

    Is burnout simply the cost of doing business? What responsibility do employers have for the health and well-being of their workers? Jeffrey Pfeffer, the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business and author of Dying for a Paycheck and 7 Rules of Power, says that the connection between workplace stress and negative health outcomes is as strong as the link between smoking and cancer — and may contribute to as many as 120,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone. So what do we do about it?  Pfeffer’s answer isn’t just surprising — it’s a radical critique of the way we work today. This episode features Sundance Scardino, a retired para-rescue specialist, firefighter, and paramedic. Is it time to rethink the way we work? Email us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.  Related Links:Jeffrey Pfeffer faculty profile“The Workplace Is Killing People and Nobody Cares”“We Have 30 Extra Years”: A New Way of Thinking About AgingWhy “Copycat” Layoffs Won’t Help Tech Companies — Or Their Employees This conversation was recorded on September 10, 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    27 min

  6. EPISODE 24

    Introducing If/Then: Season Two

    A podcast from the Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues facing us in business, leadership, and society.

    2 min

  7. 12/27/2024

    View From The Top: “Jensen Huang on How to Use First-Principles Thinking to Drive Decisions”

    How empowering collaboration and bridging diverse perspectives drives groundbreaking innovation and lasting success.

    58 min

  8. 12/11/2024

    From the Classroom: Lessons in Failure, Strategy and the Power of Connection

    How embracing failure, telling compelling stories, and leading with cultural intelligence can transform the way you lead and connect.

    13 min
See All (31)

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About

How do we lead with purpose, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future? On If/Then, Stanford GSB faculty break down cutting-edge research on leadership, strategy, and more, exploring enduring questions and the forces reshaping business and society today, from AI to geopolitics. Hosted by senior editor Kevin Cool.

Information

  • Channel
    Stanford GSB
  • Creator
    Stanford GSB
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © StanfordBusiness
  • Show Website
    If/Then

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