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1. 

   16 Jul 2026 · 31 min

   Leadership Summit 2026: AT&T CEO John Stankey on Developing Technology and Talent in the AI Era

   How do you reinvigorate a legacy company without losing what made it great? In this special episode, as part of the recent HBR Leadership Summit 2026, AT&T CEO John Stankey shares how he refocused AT&T's strategy on connectivity and simultaneously transformed its culture. He explains how he encouraged team members to adopt a more customer-led, market-driven mindset, integrate AI to reshape their products and performance, and embrace in-person collaboration.

2. 

   E1087 · 14 Jul 2026 · 31 min

   The New Rules for Becoming an Enterprise Leader

   What does it take to succeed in an enterprise-level leadership role today? Michael Watkins, professor at IMD and author of the book The First 90 Days, says that the leap from functional or business line manager to a more senior position is tricker than ever owing to three factors: AI, geopolitical complexity, and compressed leadership pipelines. He explains what that means for executives aspiring to make the transition and outlines all the new skills and capabilities they need to rise to the top now. Watkins is author of the HBR article, "3 Forces Are Redefining the Transition from Manager…

3. 

   9 Jul 2026 · 29 min

   Leadership Summit 2026: Honest Company CEO Carla Vernón on Leading with Focus in Turbulent Times

   How do you take a young, purpose-led company to the next level? In this special episode, as part of the recent HBR Leadership Summit 2026, The Honest Company CEO Carla Vernón shares how she leveraged the powerful reputation and loyal customers of the mission-driven consumer brand to turn the company around. Facing shrinking margins, limited cash, and growing pressure from Wall Street to consistently profit, Vernón worked to build trust, create a shared language for change, and help employees embrace new ways of working.

4. 

   E1086 · 7 Jul 2026 · 27 min

   How Leaders Can Use AI to Solve Real Business Problems

   Many organizations are investing heavily in AI, but too few are asking the most important question: What problem are we actually trying to solve? Journalist and author Josh Tyrangiel argues that successful AI adoption has far less to do with choosing the right model and far more to do with identifying the right business challenge—and following through. He shares why executives should resist the pressure to become "AI-native" overnight and instead focus on targeted, high-impact problems where AI can create measurable value. He also offers practical advice on improving operations,…

5. 

   2 Jul 2026 · 28 min

   Leadership Summit 2026: Mattel’s CEO on Driving Consumer Engagement and Cultural Impact

   How do you reinvent an 80-year-old company without losing what made it successful in the first place? In this special episode, as part of the recent HBR Leadership Summit 2026, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz explains how he transformed the iconic toy maker into an IP-driven entertainment company that creates movies, games, live experiences, and digital products alongside its toys. He shares how simplifying strategy, reshaping talent, and fostering a culture of innovation helped drive the company's turnaround, why AI is accelerating product development without replacing creativity, and what leaders…

6. 

   E1084 · 23 Jun 2026 · 28 min

   Creating Products with Curiosity, Humility, and Play

   Most leaders know they need to innovate, but many take a strong instinct and hold too tightly to an idea, rather than testing, experimenting, and playing to find the best solution. Mark Pincus, founder of Zynga, argues that by approaching product development with more curiosity, humility, and experimentation, leaders can improve their odds of building something people truly love. He shares lessons from launching hit products, scaling a fast-growing company, and creating a culture where play, rather than perfectionism, drives innovation. He explains why leaders should focus less on…

7. 

   E1083 · 16 Jun 2026 · 21 min

   The Right Way to Manage Rule Breakers

   Most leaders assume that when employees break rules, punishment is the answer. But according to researcher Michael Gill, associate professor at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School, that mindset overlooks a crucial reality: not all rule breaking is self-serving, and some of it may actually help organizations perform better. He explains his research synthesizing more than 250 studies and details the four main motivations behind why people break rules, why repeated violations may signal deeper organizational problems, and how leaders can distinguish harmful misconduct from employees…

8. 

   E1082 · 9 Jun 2026 · 26 min

   We All Hate Meetings—Here’s How to Make Them Work

   Meetings are one of the biggest drains on time, energy, and morale at work, yet most managers are never actually taught how to run them well. Paul English, cofounder of Kayak, argues that organizations underestimate just how costly bad meetings can be. He says meeting culture is one of the most overlooked drivers of productivity, morale, and organizational effectiveness. Drawing on lessons from companies like Amazon, LinkedIn, Airbnb, and Shopify, as well as his own experience building high-performing teams, he explains how leaders can run meetings that create clarity, energy, and better…

9. 

   E1081 · 2 Jun 2026 · 28 min

   Reinventing an Organization to Do More with Less

   What does it take to manage a complex global institution when change is constant and resources are scarce? For Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), it's about building resilient teams, partnering across sectors, and balancing operational efficiency with humanity. In her more than a decade with the agency, Clements has helped steer key reforms in challenging circumstances, and she shares lessons for both public and private sector leaders about how to modernize systems, decentralize decision-making, and embrace innovation.

10. 

    E1080 · 26 May 2026 · 29 min

    What Leads Companies to Betray Their Own Principles

    Why do so many organizations lose their way as they grow? Eric Ries, entrepreneur and author, says that corruption inside companies rarely begins with bad people or dramatic scandals. More often, it emerges slowly, through broken incentives, unchecked bureaucracy, and systems that reward the wrong behaviors. He explains why even successful organizations drift from their values, and what companies can do to stay adaptable, trustworthy, and mission-driven as they scale. Ries wrote the book Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great.